7 Quick Takes Friday (set #146)

7 Quick Takes Friday

This week: The latest issue of New Evangelists Monthly is ready and calling you. A question on “discriminating” against homosexuals in marriage. The Chosen program’s clip on happiness (right now). A surprising quote from Richard Dawkins. A reunion makes a young dog so happy he faints. The Bell Telephone picture phone remembered. Hamas has their very own version of Sesame Street (really).

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New Evangelists Monthly

Issue #20, August 2014, of New Evangelists Monthly is ready for your enjoyment! Scores of faithful Catholic bloggers have contributed their very best pieces from July. This month brought these great topics: dating, Sonoran, following, through children, catching up, CS and GK, ego, freedom, NFP, intimacy, sacraments, convalidation, water and spirit, provider, loved most, marriage, catholic gay, the dead, celibacy, on Dei Verbum, revenge, blanks, teen advice, support, sparkling, real men, calendar, mission, votives, for nursing, poor book, motherhood, hippies?, married clergy, chastity, ordained silence, on holiday, missionary, self(ie|ishness), sign of the cross, Daddy?, lost sheep, sacred liturgy, St. Bonaventure, pregnancy, teaching, passions, Bl. Frassati, persecution, Ginsburg, Obama orders, rejoicing, holy grandparents, doctrine, gay romance, consecration, working mom, Sarah Harkins, your cool, hope, ways to live, Mass tears, loving presence, ask for, veiling, powerful love, Priscilla and Aquila, always there, morality, happiness, St. Mary Magdalene, compliments, mistakes, future spouse, emotional purity, human dignity, outer space, only God, consolations, justification, maternity, weeds and wheat, body image, hearing, looking away, sand and God, grace in motion, 7 women, chemo, astray, premarital, coffee, Seraphim vs. Francis, transfiguration, self-gratification, one Church, annunciation art, vacation Mass, spilled and song for dad.

This monthly “meta-magazine” showcases faithful Catholicism from theology to family life and “everything in between.” Enjoy it now at NewEvangelists.org.

Read Now

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Ryan Anderson is asked why is it acceptable to discriminate against homosexual by denying them marital benefits such as joint tax returns?

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The choices we make in our pilgramage in this world ultimately bring us into eternal union with God or separation from Him. That is most important but it is not all they do. Choosing God “sooner than later” brings peace and happiness now that absolutely nothing else can. Chris Stefanick talks about true happiness in this clip from the Ascension Press Chosen faith formation course.

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Loud, well known atheist Richard Dawkins reportedly said this in a 2010 interview with the London Times:

There are no Christians, as far as I know, blowing up buildings. I am not aware of any Christian suicide bombers. I am not aware of any major Christian denomination that believe the penalty for apostasy is death. I have mixed feelings about the decline of Christianity, in so far as Christianity might be a bulwark against something worse.

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This is the reunion of a young dog and her owner after 2 years. The dog was so excited, she actually fainted. (WARNING: crying dog may not be suitable for work environments)

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I found this video interesting. Bell Telephone spent $500M in 1964 on the picture phone. It failed big, but came close to building something akin to the Internet.

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Palestinian children learn in school and from their mass media what their duty is relative to Israelis. Here is the Hamas version of Sesame Street:

Al-Aqsa TV (Hamas) program Tomorrow’s Pioneers on neighbors’ rights.

Phone conversation between Nahul the bee and Qais, a boy from Jenin (West Bank).

Nahul the bee, (adult in a giant bee costume): “Listen my friend. Are there Jews where you are?”

Boy (Qais): “No. Not at the moment.”

Nahul: “I heard they come to you every day.”

Boy: “Yes, but not now.”

Nahul: “Listen, friend; do like this with your hands [makes fists], and when they come to you, punch them; make their face red like a tomato.”

Boy: “Allah willing, so that we can liberate Palestine.”

Nahul: “Allah willing.” …

[Nahul talks to TV host, young girl named Rawan]

Nahul: “My friend Qais – anyway, Rawan, I tell him to take a stone, and when the Jews come, to take it and throw it at them.”

Child host (Rawan): “Of course, the Jewish neighbors.”

Nahul: “To smash them.”

Child host: “If his neighbors are Jews or Zionists? Yes.” …

[Child host Rawan talks to Tulin, a girl in the studio.]

Child host Rawan: “Tulin, why do you want to be a police officer? Like who?”

Girl Tulin: “Like my uncle.”

Child host: “Which uncle?”

Girl: “Ahmed.”

Child host: “Is he a policeman?”

[Girl nods]

Child host: “OK, so what does a policeman do?”

Nahul (adult in giant bee costume): “He catches thieves, and people who make trouble.”

Child host: “And shoots Jews. Right?”

Girl: “Yes.”

Child host: “You want to be like him?”

[Girl nods]

Child host: “Allah willing, when you grow up.”

Girl: “So that I can shoot Jews.”

[Nahul the bee cheers]

Child host: “All of them? All of them?”

Girl: “Yes.”

Child host: “Good.”

[Al-Aqsa TV (Hamas), May 2, 2014]


Some random thoughts or bits of information are worthy of sharing but don’t warrant their own full post. This idea was started by Jennifer Fulwiler at Conversion Diary to address this blogging need. So, some Fridays I too participate when I have accumulated 7 worthy items. Thank you Jen for hosting this project!


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