Poor Fyodor is soooooooo misunderstood. Luckily I am aware of the limitations of words.

Kel Kel, this is just for you. Not only do boys have cooties, they also have bad intentions. However, this shirt is just a joke.

Forget rocks. You're old enough to buy a gun and learn how to protect yourself with it.


Now that I have my trademark witty portion of the post out of the way, on to the serious stuff.

In response to my response to a comment from an actual reader (O, heady stuff, Fearless Reader!) a young Catholic gentlelady (How often does one get to type that?) with the redundant name of Kel Kel said...


I have to agree with you and Eddie on the fact that you can't really claim to be a Catholic just because you were born into it. However, I am somewhat uneased by your "cultural" comment. As a Catholic, I find that the Catholic "culture" is one of the biggest things that seperates us from the P's. Aside from the moral views, the culture is an astounding trait. Almost as imporant as the Jews. I think you were most likely refering to being born into it, though.

I certainly agree with you that if it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it probably is a duck... and it is sinful for it to claim to be a swan.


I apologize for being an idiot who can't get his thoughts onto pixels so people can understand just what I'm thinking. It's a curse. But I think I'm getting better. Let me try to 'splain it to you, Lucy.

My use of "Cultural Catholic" was, of course, an attempt at cleverness on my part. (You'd think I'd know better by now.) I was playing off of the phrase "Cultural Jew" , which seems to mean a Jew who is Jewish in everything except religion.

I know. Practically speaking, that leaves klezmer music and great, but not always kosher, delis. (A joke! I kid because I care. If you're offended, go here and watch Gush Katif be destroyed. Ain't it funny how some Christians seem to care more about Israel than...)

Obviously, there are a lot of CINOs out there, (Catholic In Name Only) but the most important ones are the public figures who publicly profess The Faith. Can you believe Ted Kennedy is still the most famous American Catholic recognized as such? Pity. It used to be Bishop Sheen.

My guess is leftist Catholics use the word as cover. They can claim to be members of a church and also get to claim at least partial credit for the good works of The Church. (While always lamenting the all too powerful reactionary forces running it who wage war against contraception, divorce, fornication, adultery, homosexuality, abortion...oh, you know, all those gifts that progress has brought us.)

I never, never, ever, meant to imply there was anything wrong with true Catholic culture. Heck, The Church was Western culture for about 1,700 years. And it is still all that is good and hopeful and beautiful in the West.

I would also like to take this opportunity to beg forgiveness from any mallard-Americans who may have been offended by the post in question.

One more thing, Kel Kel. I refuse to believe anyone is born into the Catholic faith. Even if one is baptized as an infant, sooner or later there comes a moment when one must choose what one believes.

Keep The Faith, baby.