The banality of the Postmodern Mystic: "Americans seem to have done with mysticism what we’ve done with every other kind of human experience: We’ve democratized it, diversified it, and taken it mass market."
Will the Baby Boomers come to regret their revolutionary pretenses? If demographics are any indication, yes. Boomers raised my generation--the X'er's--and we raised the Millennials. Boomers pushed free-love, abortion/contraception, Do Your Own Thing, etc. and now their twilight years will be spent wholly dependent on two diminished generations of citizens who are less inclined to feel any sense of duty toward the elderly, the family; support euthanasia, and shirk civic responsibility. The hippie-chickens are coming home to roost and those are not golden eggs they're dropping.
Home-school biology textbooks dominated by anti-evolution Protestant fundamentalism. Surely there are some Catholic home-schooling science textbooks out there that aren't based on biblical scientism?
What is nihilism? Recently, an European friar admitted to me, "Europeans. . .we hate ourselves."
What is nihilism? Recently, an European friar admitted to me, "Europeans. . .we hate ourselves."
Why the MSM hates the blogosphere--two words: Dan Rather. There's a real generation gap when it comes to trusting the news reported on the internet. I've noticed among Baby Boomer friars an entrenched prejudice against believing the truth of most anything first reported on the net. The attitude seems to be: "If it's not reported in the NYT or on CNN, it's not worth knowing." Too bad.
These "women-priests" are starting to remind me of those creepy guys who travel around the world getting ordained over and over again in hotel ballrooms by bishops who claim apostolic succession through multiple obscure national churches. At some point a hobby becomes an obsession and an obsession becomes a parody. . .in the case of "women-priests," a decidedly pathetic parody.
vedy interesting reads thismorning Fr.
ReplyDeleteOn home-schooling textbooks, I can only speak from experience with Seton. Our daughter who is in 9th grade is using (through Seton) Abeka Physical Science (protestant). What is great though is that Seton supplements in the lesson plans the difference of the Protestant view on certain things and ours. There are also lectures online from Seton.
ReplyDeleteThis may be an area that some want to explore - writing science textbooks for Catholic children. I guess with Seton, it was easier to supplement for now, instead of writing a whole text.
Now, the child in the article, depending on the age, should be able to accept different views and theories in my opinion. That is, IF they have been taught as theories. That is where the problem comes in...when Darwin is taught as "settled" etc.
That mother may do well to just go and buy used public text books. IMO.
Not all public text books are bad but they are not able to challenge certain ideas and thoughts (forced tolerance).
Father,
ReplyDeleteThe reason why evangelical fundamentalism with its emphasis on a literal interpretation of Genesis chapters 1 and 2 has such an appeal is because in Catholic schools those kinds of Bible accounts are relegated to the status of myths. Who wants to believe in a God proposed by a Church who thinks His Holy Word is NOT the truth, but just a myth? Indeed, I for one (being Catholic) would send my children (if I had a choice) to an evangelical school before I ever would a Catholic or public school simply because I KNOW that for all their faults, evangelicals really do believe in the Gospel which isn't something that liberal enlightened Catholic acamedicians think is important unless we're talking about the false gospel of social justice and peace at any price.
The Church needs to get back to its roots, or God will raise up sons of Abraham from the stones themselves (the evangelicals, to coin a phrase from John the Baptist said) and the children of the Kingdom (baptized Catholic liberals that support abortion and think the Bible stories are myths) will find themselves cast out.
Actually, the report on homeschool science textbooks is nonsense. There are plenty of good textbooks out there not dominated by anti-evolution Protestant nonsense.
ReplyDeleteBut the reporter didn't want to find them.
And, no, most Catholic homeschoolers use either "mainstream" secular textbooks or the Protestant stuff and make do. There's not a large enough market to warrant a Catholic Science Textbook.
Flam, thanks for this! I suspected that the report was bogus, but I've been strapped for time lately so research was out.
ReplyDeleteIn the article about homeschooling science textbooks, I found this interesting:
ReplyDelete"...The textbook delivers a religious ultimatum to young readers and parents, warning in its "History of Life" chapter that a "Christian worldview ... is the only correct view of reality; anyone who rejects it will not only fail to reach heaven but also fail to see the world as it truly is."..."
This is quite true, most especially if one slightly amends to read "Catholic worldview" and "may not only fail to reach heaven" (since we do not have particular knowledge regarding most people's salvation or damnation).
Anthony OPL
Anthony,
ReplyDeleteWe have to draw a distinction within the "only correct view of reality;" namely, there is a difference btw the reality of our salvation history and our understanding of material reality. The Church is charged with teaching us the truth about our faith and all that that implies. The Church is not charged with teaching us the truths of quantum physics, organic chemistry, or biology.
Kolbe Academy uses a secular textbook.
ReplyDeleteThe people I know who are homeschooling for high school are sending the kids to the local community college for science anyway.