One Blogger on WordPress, Spaniardviii, decided to attack me yesterday, insinuating that I’m a plagiarist. Spaniard made this assumption solely on the basis that I’m 15 years old. That’s it. I guess a teenager cannot:
1. Write articles on religion without stealing other’s work without giving credit.
2. Know enough about religion to be a competent debater.
On another blogger’s site (page link at bottom) Spaniard made the assumption:
“By knowing that you are 15 tells me even more about you that you rely heavily on Catholic theologians. Everything that you have said to be is not from you but is by those that you rely heavily on. The information that you are spewing clearly cannot come from a 15 years old kid but comes from whatever Catholic sites or sources you go to. I’m really refuting in a sense those sites not you.”
Clearly cannot come from a 15 year old kid? Age does not make one wise Spaniard. I only claim to have better knowledge of the Christian religion than you because I believe your beliefs are incorrect. That’s just my opinion. If you truly knew so much about the Bible, why would you be outside the Catholic Church?
“You should have been honest and just said that you read someone’s material that you agreed with. There’s nothing wrong with that but you made me and other people believe that it was yours. For an example, my 15 years old son was asserting that he knew something because he was convinced by a YouTube video.”
Should have been honest? I was unaware of any dishonesty. I never have gone and “reworded” someone else’s work. I quote other’s work, and note it in footnotes. You do not know me; do not insult my knowledge. Don’t judge me against your teen son.
I am a Catholic Apologist. I do not steal other’s work. If I quote someone’s work, I give them credit. If I want to share someone else’s work, I re-blog it. You do not know me; you haven’t met me. You cannot judge my knowledge of Christianity. You cannot make the assumption that I’m a plagiarist solely on my age. You want a piece of advice from this Catholic Thinker? Be kinder. Lighten up.
Comments link: https://modconspiracy.wordpress.com/2017/06/29/a-call-to-answer/
All Along the Watchtower 
Hello Patrick. I am sorry you felt judged. As the Apostle Paul encouraged Timothy “Let no one despise your youth.”.
I do want to answer the question as to why I am outside the Catholic Church. It is because that is where God placed me. I have bloomed in the place I found Christ and His grace when I was just a little younger than you.
I have good friends who found that same grace in the Catholic Church. They have bloomed where they were planted.
In my neck of the woods where witchcraft and pagan practices arec becoming increasingly popular we are finding it a waste of time to argue between Catholics and Protestants, whose church is better and who’s doctrine has more authority.
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I beg to differ. One doesn’t find the same grace in both religions. If somehow,you found any grace in your church, it wouldn’t be the same as in the catholic cult of personality where you find people on their knees befor graven images. Sorry, it don’t work like that.
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Thanks for the encouragement, friend.
I think it doesn’t matter who is better; it depends on who is correct. Thanks Joseph. Happy 4th.
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I agree. I suppose the older ypu get though the more you realize that while there are things that are straight up black and white truth or error most of what we hold to as doctrines in our churches fall somewhere in between into mystery. I doubt there is any of us whether we hold to Sola Scriptura, the traditions of the fathers or papal infallibiliry who will get to Heaven and discover we had it all right. I cannot wait to see all our assumptions Catholic and Protestant pushed aside by the glory of His truth revealed face to face in that day.
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Christ established a church which is free from teaching error. His Church instructs everyone in Truth. His church “has it all right”.
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That’s an argument that just keeps sending you round the mulberry bush, Patrick. I think my church has it all right. You think it’s yours. The thing is it really doesn’t matter. We both preach Christ and Him crucified. We both preach Christ is Risen. We both preach Christ shall come again. We both preach that Christ’s death and resurrection atones for sin and that alone. If we don’t believe that then we are not really Christian by any orthodox Christian definition.
While we strain at gnats and swallow camels over the rest of our “right doctrine” fully two thirds of the world is going to Hell without a knowledge that Christ died, rose or is coming again.
I can debate with you doctrine and source all day and neither of us will come out on top. I did that for many years and it bore almost zero fruit. Here’s the thing. Jesus didn’t send us to debate each other. He sent us according to Matthew 28 to preach the good news to all and make disciples of all nations.
At some point we have all got to put our differences aside and stop worrying who’s right about transubstantiation or glossolalia and we have to work together. If we don’t we are no better than the man in Matthew 25 and when our Master comes to bring us home we will discover that He doesn’t accept excuses for not doing the thing he sent us to do like “I was to busy fighting the Catholics” Or “I would’ve shared your gospel Lord but those Baptists just wouldn’t shut up about about full immersion being the right way to baptize.”
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If it’s all so indifferent to you, why not join the Catholic Church? You would be most welcome.
It was Protestant “reformers” that succeeded in dividing the Western Church, exploiting, yes, the corruption of certain Churchmen in the process, but not offering anything new in doctrine that wasn’t also poisonous.
If you don’t believe what you believe because God via His Church proposes it to you for your belief, the motive of your belief is not divine but human.
If you choose to believe a thing because it is in scripture and your reading is such and such, then even if you are right the motive of your belief is wrong, because it is not from God but from yourself.
The Church is a fact, not a theory; She is visible, not invisible, and Her founder was Jesus Christ via His Apostles. Christ founded the Church, and gave Her authority over all Christians to edify them in doctrine and right living.
Every Protestant sect was founded by a heretic. Not by God. What divides us – heresy – is not from God, but from Satan.
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I’ll be right over Q. I hope you really mean what you say and can take my little idiosynchrasies in day to day worship. I tend to be a bit boisterous come Sunday morning.
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Though I’m not quite clear what you are driving at, I expect you would become less “boisterous”, once you became acclimatized to the good order of the authentic liturgy, reverently celebrated. God loves peace, but the Devil loves noise.
Idiosyncrasies are fine, so long as they are not obstinate. In non-essentials, charity is the watchword. In essentials, unity.
Good order, per the Apostle’s doctrine, is essential to the proper celebration of the liturgy.
But in our private devotions, or in other devotions outside Holy Mass, there is complete latitude for free expression.
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You are probably right. Not sure peace and noise are actually antonyms but I am generally a respectful person so I would adapt. Thanks for th.e,shining vote of confidence. Now you’ve successfully won someone who already believes in Christ over to your church and your way of doing it are you finally ready to face the real issue of the 4,000,000,000 + people who are worshipping someone other than Jesus or shall we continue measuring catechism and Sunday schools.
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I thank God exceedingly for the grace He has given you, if you are sincere.
I should stress I am fully in favour of political cooperation between Catholics and Protestants in these dark times. But mutual respect must be based on honesty, not the kind of obfuscatory platitudes favoured by certain of our hierarchy.
As you rightly indicate, we have bigger fish to fry at the moment.
You could argue we always have, but I don’t think that is correct; doctrinal dischord was more politically urgent, when the Church was more politically relevant.
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Joseph, just study both history and the Bible. They go hand in hand. The only Christian Church dating back to the time of Christ is the RCC. It is the only logical match for Christ’s true Church. The RCC can trace its lineage back to the Apostles themselves. It has taught the same doctrine for 2000 years.
Teachers of heresy are no better than pagans, friend. One distorts truth; the other knows not the truth. We must work to help all know Christ’s Church; heretics, schismatics, pagans, atheists, everyone. We’d all be happy to have you come home to the Church in Rome.
God bless.
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@quiavideruntoculi Just curious, what form of the Catholic liturgy do you attend?
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Exclusively the old Mass. LMS and SSPX – predominantly LMS in recent months.
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Oh, good. I attend the traditional Mass as well. Been attending a parish run by the FSSP for several years.
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No, they’re not.
Scripture and tradition prophesy that Rome will revert to her primordial paganism, and receive an exemplary and devastating judgement.
We are seeing this happen, I believe, before our eyes. The ones having homosexual orgies have given up, as everybody can see, on Catholic doctrine and practice.
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@quiavideruntoculi did you used to blog?
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Yes. I gave it up because I didn’t have the temperament for it.
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Ah, ok. If you are ever interested, I am assembling a group of Catholic apologists to be guest writers on my blog, The Catholic Thinker.
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The RCC can trace its lineage back to the Apostles themselves. It has taught the same doctrine for 2000 years.
The apostles were jews, and made no bones about it. the first believers in Christ were jews. This claim by the CC that it was around during the apostles is as hysterical as the rest of its grand claims.
Its claims are one thing, its history is another. The CCs history is a trail of murder, torture and misery. But don’t worry, it has a claim that makes all that go away.
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Apostolic succession accepted by Anglicans, Eastern Orthodox, other schismatics…
Only crazies, such as yourself, deny that the Pope is the direct successor of St Peter. Others simply disagree with us about the relative importance of that fact.
Try again Bosco.
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Good brother Joseph, one doesn’t go anywhere to find Jesus. One finds him on their knees asking him to come and reveal himself.
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Dear Patrick, You are very intelligent, well spoken, and talented. I doubt many of us reading these blogs could do as well now or especially when we were in our teens. You express yourself extremely well and a reader might assume you are older than you are. This is a compliment! Unjust criticisms are hurtful and a distraction, but God has given you great gifts and talents. Please do not be deterred.
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Thanks Celia. I just believe that being older doesn’t make one wise. Anyone should be able to give an opinion, despite them being 5 or 55. Thank you.
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I thank God for your witness.
A word to the wise: don’t get bogged down with petty criticisms, if you can avoid it; they are generally not worth addressing.
I found this out to my cost and put a lot of unnecessary strain on my nerves in the process.
Save your strength for what counts. The Devil wants to stir you up and disrupt your peace of soul.
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