Mark Shea has Lost Control
First, a quick note about the election. We’ve got a pretty good shot at the White House after all! Thus, I recant my previous statements. Patrick over at Creative Minority Report has the full story.
Yesterday, I cast my vote for John McCain. I hope that you, my loyal readers, will find the courage to do the same. We must build the culture of life, one brick at a time. Thus, our gaze must be fixed on the candidate who is more likely to appoint pro-life Supreme Court Justices.
That brings me to our next subject.
Some of you have been attacked by certain Catholic bloggers for your Republican sympathies. Let it be known that Mark Shea openly mocked my comments, comparing me to a battered-wife engaged in self-delusion concerning her abusive husband. I feel your pain.
And the most pathetic proof of this is the Abused Spouse Syndrome I am seeing in the comboxes from people who write stuff like:
[M]ark my words, when the GOP loses, they will dramatically liberalize their platform to win the next go-around. They will kick the pro-life movement off like a flee.
If the GOP loses, they will conclude that it was because they were pro-life and such, and will adjust accordingly to attain victory.
This will happen.
Don’t make hubby angry or he’ll slow the car down to 35 and shove you out the door–cuz he really loves you and it’s for your own good. Just be a good little wife and don’t rock the boat with too many demands. He really loves you down deep. You have to believe that. It’s just that he’s got so much on his mind and all. You’d deserve it if he hauled off and beat you and then got himself a new girlfriend. You’ve got to do better at pleasing your man!
Quite frankly, this respected Catholic apologist is on a rampage, and I’m not sure why. He has no idea how many people he’s hurting. Just scrolling through his posts…I can’t bear to read them. There’s rage in every word. I no longer see a formal difference between “Catholic and Enjoying it!” and “The Raving Atheist.” Point out anything on the latter, and I can show you its parallel on the former.
Take, for example, the Godidiot of the Week. In the same vein, Mr. Shea has his own Sin Makes You Stupid posts.
Why anyone would ever think this sort of thing is actually constructive public discourse is entirely beyond me. Mr. Shea is falling fast! He’s become polemical, bitter, angry, flippant…and for what reason?
His blog has become a Catholic Pharyngula.
Bottom line: Someone must stop him before he destroys himself. We can’t afford to lose this valuable witness to Christ. Email him, call him on the phone, I don’t care! Just talk some reason into him!
Pray for him.
Psalm 37 strikes me as particularly apropos.
October 22nd, 2008 at 5:52 pmI’m not entirely familiar with the Mark Shea situation, but I’ve devoted the last few years to pro-life volunteer work (including this Godidiot’s book) rather than polemics. And I will be enthusiastically voting for McCain/Palin on November 4th.
October 27th, 2008 at 11:30 amTRA,
It is always good to have you here. I realize that you have moved on from polemics. However, your former blog remains somewhat of a legend, so that is why I referred to it. I confess that I myself indulge polemics far too often. We all do.
Though, more and more, I think we should all just stop. I’m understanding the point of polemics less and less.
I look upon you with respect, for being so active in the pro-life movement. I apologize if my post here offended you. But truth be told, your former blog does indeed offer a perfect example of what I was trying to get at.
October 27th, 2008 at 2:14 pmIronically, one of the main reasons I signaled out Mr. Shea’s blog is the terrible way he treats atheists and non-Christians. He does the same thing you used to do to Christians, except you know, in reverse.
October 27th, 2008 at 2:15 pmThough, more and more, I think we should all just stop. I’m understanding the point of polemics less and less.
I found it helpful to make an official pledge to abandon polemics, with a full explanation of the reasons for doing so. Eventually I found I had nothing left to talk about and moved on to more productive projects.
October 28th, 2008 at 9:06 amRaving Atheist,
Since you haven’t posted anything to your blog in more than a year, why don’t you take it down or at least remove the hateful posts? I don’t see what good they serve, memorializing such harsh polemics.
November 4th, 2008 at 11:25 amMy sincere apologies for hurting your feelings. It was not my intention. Please forgive me.
November 4th, 2008 at 11:33 am