Still Trying to Attain to the Title of "Catholic Apologist" After 20 Books Published by Six Different Publishers, 13 Years of Full-Time Work, Etc. (Sam Shamoun's Ridiculous Comment)

Please let me know when I make it! I want so badly to be a Catholic apologist. But anti-Catholic Reformed expert on Islam Sam Shamoun knows better, I guess . . . He wrote in a tweet + Facebook author post:

Another post from Stephen Haye's Triablogue where a sister takes wannabe Catholic apologist Dave Armstrong to the woodshed as well.

1. This is now the fourth anti-Catholic writer / blog that triumphantly claims that I got my butt thoroughly kicked in a debate, while being too scared to post my side of the debate (in other words, it is worthless and pathetic, but don't let anyone dare read it, so they can see that this is manifestly and self-evidently the case! Just say it and certain folks will sop it up like a sponge).

2. The debate was with Dr. Lydia McGrew, an Anglican, regarding the communion of saints. We got along fine, respected each other, and complimented each other. I told her that I'd like to be her friend. That's real, adult dialogue, not the patent imbecilic nonsense that passes for "dialogue" on anti-Catholic know-nothing sites. For those who actually read both sides of a debate instead of one, with peanut gallery Bronx cheers and junior high locker room put-downs accompanying, here is the link to the actual debate.

3. The spelling is "Steve Hays," not "Stephen Hayes." The latter is a conservative commentator who writes for The Weekly Standard . The former is a loudmouthed (i.e., endlessly prolix and quite boorish) blogger who has no published credentials at all, as far as I can tell. I have heard it said that he is a TA, which likely means that he is a wannabe academic, and so now pretends to be one on his own blog and self-published books here and there. It's particularly cute that Shamoun cites a wannabe academic and wannabe author as "proof" that I am merely a wannabe apologist.

4. If his name were "Hayes" (rather than "Haye") proper grammar would be "Hayes' Triablogue" rather than "Haye's Triablogue". Sorry to make hay about this, but hey, all in a day's work, eh?

5. I find it fascinating that the same person who calls me a "wannabe Catholic apologist" had nothing but praise for my trinitarian research when we met some ten years ago, calling it "masterful." He also wrote:

I am reading your stuff since I think it is the most thorough and perhaps the best defense of Catholicism out there . . . Dave has been nothing but respectful and kind to me. He has shown me great respect despite knowing full well that I disagree with him on the essential issues.

This respect included recommending his work on Islam for many years. I still would today, in and of itself, except that his anti-Catholicism and extreme rudeness (quite different from his demeanor when we met in person) now preclude such a recommendation.

How things change! I offered the "best defense of Catholicism" years ago (apologetics basically means "defense"), yet lo, these many years later, I'm still a "wannabe apologist."

6. On his web page, "The Trinity" he continues to recommend my trinitarian research for his readers:

"Dave Armstrong's collections 'Jesus is God: Biblical Proofs' and 'The Holy Trinity: Biblical Proofs'.

[his links are outdated; I have provided current ones above]


This link has been up on his page since at least 1 October 2006, according to Internet Archive.


7. Things changed, apparently, after I took Sam to the woodshed and blew his ludicrous historical claims out of the water, in this exchange:

"Reformed Apologist and Expert on Islam, Sam Shamoun Claims that the Catholic Church Murdered 'An Estimated 50-68 Million People'. My Reply" [4-16-14]


Read it and make up your own mind as to the facts. I even linked to his original remarks (what a novelty!!!.

8. But oops! Looks like he has now removed his idiotic claims in that combox: the ones he refused to properly defend. And after looking over my refutation, he had this to say in the same thread (perhaps he will remove this, too, in due course, now that I have broadcasted it):

Gee, how original of you Dave Armstrong: [he did bravely link to my paper. Bravo!] I guess I should be flattered that you have done a post on me, much like you have done with nearly every Protestant apologist from James White to Eric Svendsen. Is this how you try to get people to financially support your ministry, by giving the impression that you are capable of debating and refuting the "big guns" of Protestantism? It obviously isn't working now is it? You have less than 30 minutes to remove yourself as I ban you. (April 16 [2014] at 11:50 PM)

9. Can you see why I have no time to debate anti-Catholics on theology in any depth, since 2007 (this "exchange" was merely a clarification of historical facts)? Lydia is not an anti-Catholic, which is why it was a pleasure to dialogue with her.

10. No one can make this stuff up! It's too bizarre and weird. I offer it for your enjoyment and amusement. I've been hugely entertained by it, and it momentarily relieved my mind of its troubles. Hope you are, too!

[Shamoun has been informed of this paper on his Twitter account]

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