A Short Apology Part 2: The Lamentations of a youtube Evangelist
Just over a week ago I posted my first serious article. You can read it here:
I was inspired to summarize what I had been saying within the comments sections of the videos I was watching on youtube (including but not limited to the video below). My original comments, and the subsequent article were a response to the passionately anti-Catholic yet utterly false sentiments that seemed to dominate the conversations.
I had been going back and forth with one person in particular for quite some time. He goes by the name tim spangler, and he is one of the most unreasonable and obsessive www.evangelists I have ever encountered. He was the main motivation for my original article. I posted this video so you can browse the comments section and see for yourselves the horror of voluntary blindness. I write this brief follow up to highlight what I consider to be the conclusion of my dialog with tim spangler. This is just way too mind bending not to share. Shall we begin the show? Let's do it:
First, here is tim spangler's original post from this thread. I assume his intention is to inform us Catholics that it is blasphemy when the priest utters the words of Christ "this is my body that will be given up for you" during Mass:
tim spangler:
Is it true that Jesus' body WILL BE GIVEN UP FOR YOU? NEWS FLASH!!! That happened 2,000 years ago! QUIT THE BLASPHEMY!
~End
This is the one dimensional drivel that seems to comprise his entire religious understanding. Normally, there are also verses. Many many verses. All taken out of context and misinterpreted, naturally. I would regularly respond to these comments for the benefit of those who might read this garbage and not know any better than to ignore it. Long story short; after much debate I wrote my article and posted a link so he could read it. This is his thoughtful and articulate response followed by my last word:
tim spangler:
100% of the time? I've posted literally hundreds of reasonable issues to discuss which indicate the counterfeit nature of Catholicism
"What inspired me the most was the fact that one hundred percent (not an exaggeration) of the comments I read do not contain any sort of thoughtful argument whatsoever. Most follow the same formula of "THE CATHOLIC TEACHING ON X IS WRONG BECAUSE THE BIBLE SAYS Y!"
Me:
You most certainly have not. You state your personal beliefs in absolute terms with nothing to back them up other than poorly interpreted bible verses. I've invited you to prove me wrong and you either can't or won't. What you just said simply proves my point further.
You didn't expand upon a single thing I have been saying. You simply quote one sentence, deny it, then pass the torch back to me while accusing me of doing the very thing you, yourself, have been doing all along.
In contrast, I have answered your outlandish accusations with practical explanations that are factual, can be proven through reason, are historically accurate, and I've even thrown in a descent number of verses as icing on the cake.
Why can you not comprehend that "because the bible says..." is not a logical conclusion to a serious question? Anyone can make the bible say whatever they want it to say. Five hundred years of Protestant division is ample proof of this. Therefore, why should I trust your interpretations when you clearly have no interest in understanding my perspective before condemning it? What's worse, you can't even offer me a more clear understanding of your own beliefs! It seems to me that you are so thoroughly convinced that you're right to the point where you feel no need to be sure that you're correct! The only reason I take the time to respond to you anymore is for the benefit of those who actually desire wisdom lest they be tempted to think anything you say carries any weight.
I'm not trying to insult you. You have painted this image of yourself by your own inability to show any sort of philosophical or theological understanding on a level higher than Sunday school cut 'n' paste with Jesus. I would be delighted if you would actually say something substantial. I would say I'm praying for you, but you think I worship bread, wine, Mary and the pope, so that would just be an insult to you.
~End
That was supposed to be the end, but then something occurred to me that absolutely needed to be demonstrated. You see, the quote at the end of his last comment is taken directly from my article. I went back to edit my comment and deliver the most brutal truth spoken in love I can imagine on youtube. Watch this:
Edit: I feel that it would be unfair of me to not offer some evidence for what I've said for those who may not have time to read through all the comments. You deny my observation that most anti-catholic comments here follow the basic formula of "THE CATHOLIC TEACHING ON X IS WRONG BECAUSE THE BIBLE SAYS Y!" I beg to differ, Tim. Here are your exact words which make up the entire first comment on this thread. I'm going to mesh them with my words that you quoted. Ready?
THE CATHOLIC TEACHING ON: X="Is it true that Jesus' body WILL BE GIVEN UP FOR YOU?" IS WRONG BECAUSE THE BIBLE SAYS: Y=NEWS FLASH!!! That happened 2,000 years ago! QUIT THE BLASPHEMY!"
Get a clue, Tim. You are only succeeding in affirming the skeptics. ~End
You can't make this stuff up. My only regret is that I should have concluded by saying the only converts he is winning are agnostic to atheist! Enjoy the video. Bishop Barron is awesome.