68 Comments

You still sound more Catholic than many "Catholics" most of the time! (as does Charles Haywood)!

I still wonder a bit about your "metaphysics" of religion, but I at least got out of this the clarification that you are as materially Christian and quite a bit more formally Christian than Jordan Peterson....!

Have you read Charles Taylor's A Secular Age?

Thanks for expounding (and all you do)!

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Dude you have such a way with clearly expressing what you want to say. I know it’s never truly done for you, and you could go on forever, but the way you complete what needs to be said cannot be understated. You can make the most boring subjects exciting. Love it. Appreciate you.

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Darryl - would love to get your more thorough analysis on Spengler.

Many thanks

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Would you consider Orthodoxy? I'm currently a catechumenand it was the best decision I have ever made. There are excellent parishes here on the West Coast.

(I currently have COVID and it will take me a long time to read this, so remember that if you gave an answer here).

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Way ahead of you.

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Stop by parish at St. John's (Berkeley, on Essex) if you're ever in the Bay Area. There is a religious revival happening here.

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@Jack Henry Mueller As is the case in the traditional movement in the Latin rite (traditional monasteries especially and I guess the Byzantines) but I'm glad to hear that as well. While I consider myself fixed in the Roman tradition, I do have to admit that you are on average far better at ascetism than us! And you emphasize the mystical side of the Faith far more than our strong Aquinas leaning tendencies takes most of us...

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Huge growth and enthusiasm at my parish (St. Mary Magdalen) here in NYC as well! A true sanctuary of hope in these pessimistic times!

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Will you cover more Bible books like you did Job on your series?

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If the people want it, I am at their service

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The people definitely want!

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A full Darryl take on Genesis would be so cool. But I also would not complain if you did more stuff in the same vein as your Easter message post

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Awesome piece! Thanks for sharing. I've always considered your current issues content to be your most important work, your history series to be your best work, but your religious content will always be my favorite.

Anyways, I'm Roman Catholic and it's awesome to hear that your Orthodox. Keep up the great work!

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What do you think about Ayaan Hirsi Ali’s “conversion”, where she talks about Christian beliefs as a necessity to counter the evils in the world, without paying any heed to whether they are factual or not?

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Awesome to hear about your spiritual journey. I did the “many paths, one truth” route and still come back to Christianity. The incredible history and thought just make sense.

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Being able to see the NT for the “dirt under the fingernails” epistolary literature that it is, while still maintaining awe and reverence seems an eye to thread for many. It isn’t a textbook, yet is more true than any of those. The humanity on display in the Passion narratives and at the end of 2 Timothy, in the exhortations of Philemon…just very very moving if you remember these were all real humans struggling, wrestling, like Jacob, with God.

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Thanks for the response Darryl. I’m surprised because as another commenter said, you sound more Catholic than many Catholics that I know! Random aside if you see this but Dr. Brant Pitre has a fantastic book called “Jesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist” that I think you might really appreciate.

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Totally agree with your advice on dates, though wouldn't you want a wife who is, above all else, a friend?

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I've gone up and down with the sentiment that nobody really chooses religion they're just born into it, as a means of discrediting religious belief. Of course it's mostly true, but what's the alternative? Everyone is born into the world knowing nothing, and they're going to be raised to believe SOMETHING, unless their point is to just abdicate raising kids at all. Just let them do absolutely anything they want to.

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Believing in something you were born into doesn't discredit the ideology but rather legitimizes it. An ideology is only valuable so long as it encourages healthy families that raise strong children who want to learn from and emulate their parents.

The best worldview (and thus also the truth) will be passed down from generation to generation as it spreads through the whole world and therefore MUST be taught from father to son.

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Yes, and people clearly can learn to question what they were taught as kids as well. This mindset came from some kids I grew up with who thought they were so brilliant for questioning religion and embracing atheism. As if religion had always been unflinchingly accepted without question until they were born.

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I was raised Jewish. Hated that I had to go to religious school after regular school. Mondays, Wednesdays and Sundays. Kept me out of early sports. Separated me from my neighborhood friends. I swore that as soon as I was of independent adult age, I would never go back. I went through a spiritual exploration stage where I gave it another shot. I even got baptized so I could keep dating this hot girl that was super religious. Dirtbag move. I’m mostly anti-religion because it was shoved down my throat. The synagogue my mom goes to prays on her weakness to get money. I’m definitely a naturalist type. Love myself. Love others. Don’t be a dick even if someone deserves it. Lol

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Also. So many knowledgeable people here. Asking the right questions. Adding to what’s already here.

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I assumed you were Catholic as well, considering the intellectual curiosity.

I’m close friends with Orthodox priests and brothers but I remain in the Latin Church, good or bad it’s my natural home and story. Thanks for sharing!

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Great post. Thanks for sharing, man.

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