Mere Comments

Author: Jimmy Akin

Jimmy was born in Texas, grew up nominally Protestant, but at age 20 experienced a profound conversion to Christ. Planning on becoming a Protestant seminary professor, he started an intensive study of the Bible. But the more he immersed himself in Scripture the more he found to support the Catholic faith, and in 1992 he entered the Catholic Church. His conversion story, "A Triumph and a Tragedy," is published in Surprised by Truth. Besides being an author, Jimmy is the Senior Apologist at Catholic Answers, a contributing editor to Catholic Answers Magazine, and a weekly guest on "Catholic Answers Live."

131 thoughts on “Mere Comments”

  6. I think this is the space where we input the cheat codes to unlock the super-secret turbo moose! Let’s see . . .

  7. Bill,
    “Moose bites sister” is not a story. Get back to us when your sister bites a moose!

  8. Speaking of Mooses, how about a Latin Palindrome:
    “SUM SUMMUS MUS”
    (Okay, Mus apparently means mouse, not moose… Sue Me.)

  10. Speaking of cheat codes, there isn’t enough discussion of video games in the Catholic blogosphere. Something ought to be done about it.
    I’ve wanted to write something about Catholic themes in the Final Fantasy series for some time now.

  11. One more Latin Palindrome:
    “IN GIRUM IMUS NOCTE ET CONSUMIMUR IGNI”
    Meaning: “We wander in the night, and are consumed by fire”

  14. A moose once bit my sister.
    “We apologise for the fault in the subtitles. Those responsible have been sacked.”

  15. I think torture would be more likely to improve morals than morales. Wouldn’t help morels, at all, though.

  17. “According to this BBC report the Pope, on visiting the Blue Mosque, faced Mecca. If I didn’t know what a miserable rag the BBC was, I’d be very upset. Echoes of JPII possibly kissing the Koran. Comments?”
    Yes. Why would his geographic position be important simply because he walked into a mosque? Wouldn’t he have faced Mecca many times during his life?
    That’s just the BBC trying to stir up trouble.

  24. Long time reader, first time poster… I got engaged after Bible Study last night. Good luck with the Moose’s.

  26. Did you know that the guy on the Pringles can was originally drawn to poke fun at Hitler?
    Kris,
    Thanks for the info!
    No wonder he reminds me a bit of Charlie Chaplin!

  29. Esau understands the code to chaos! Ladies and Gentlemen, the new MASTER OF CHAOS!
    Actually, I don’t know how quite to take that, but, I guess, my secret is out! ;^)

  31. You will be a benevolent Master, I am sure of it.:)
    Mr. Schuettler:
    Truly, you, Sir, are indeed a Christian!
    You are too charitable with your comments there! ;^)

  36. But, who’s responsible for those reponsible for saying those responsible for sacking those responsible for the loopy comments have been sacked been possibly sacked responsibly also?! ;^)

  37. But, who’s responsible for those reponsible for saying those responsible for sacking those responsible for the loopy comments have been sacked been possibly sacked responsibly also?! ;^)

  40. “I like chocolate mousse. Not to be confused with chocolate moose.”
    Well, I myself wouldn’t mind eating a chocolate moose.

  43. 耶 稣 在 加 利 利 海 边 行 走 ， 看 见 弟 兄 二 人 ， 就 是 那 称 呼 彼 得 的 西 门 ， 和 他 兄 弟 安 得 烈 ， 在 海 里 撒 网 。 他 们 本 是 打 鱼 的 。
    耶 稣 对 他 们 说 ， 来 跟 从 我 ， 我 要 叫 你 们 得 人 如 得 鱼 一 样 。
    他 们 就 立 刻 舍 了 网 ， 跟 从 了 他 。
    从 那 里 往 前 走 ， 又 看 见 弟 兄 二 人 ， 就 是 西 庇 太 的 儿 子 雅 各 ， 和 他 兄 弟 约 翰 ， 同 他 们 的 父 亲 西 庇 太 在 船 上 补 网 。 耶 稣 就 招 呼 他 们 。
    他 们 立 刻 舍 了 船 ， 别 了 父 亲 ， 跟 从 了 耶 稣 。

  45. I put that into Google’s translator, and it came up with:
    Jesus Lili ocean trip in Canada and look younger brother Keiji see, it is said that the call Peter West Gate, and his brothers have strong security.Lane spreading nets in the sea.They are fighting the fish.Jesus said to him, talking to me, I have to tell you if they have one kind of fish.They immediately homes on the Internet, with from him.Lane, and move forward from that, Keiji brother saw people on the western section of the Pacific’s son Jacques, and his brothers, John,with the father, he is too pro-West section of the ship Subscribers to the network.Jesus on the concerned countries.They immediately homes by boat, not the father, told from the Jesus.
    I’m assuming it’s a bible quote about Jesus telling them to cast the net on the other side of the boat. Tells you something about automatic translators, though. 😀

  47. Lane spreading nets in the sea.
    I think I won’t touch that one!
    They are fighting the fish.
    That one as well!

  48. “Please! This is supposed to be a happy occasion. Let’s not bicker and argue over who killed who.”

  49. “I don’t want to talk to you no more, you empty headed animal food trough wiper. I fart in your general direction. Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries.”

  51. “You don’t frighten us, English pig dogs. Go and boil your bottoms, you sons of a silly person. I blow my nose at you, so-called “Arthur King,” you and all your silly English K-nig-hts.”

  57. “Oh! Had enough, eh? Come back and take what’s coming to you, you yellow bastards! Come back here and take what’s coming to you! I’ll bite your legs off!”

  58. Dang! I missed it!
    The above should’ve gone under “Run Away!”
    Oh, well… back to the drawing board!

  60. No one expects the Spanish Inquisition!
    Anybody actually watch the program that aired on EWTN “The Myth of the Spanish Inquisition”?
    ‘Nuff said!

  61. The Myth of the Spanish Inquisition
    ELLEN RICE
    ————————————————
    “The Myth of the Spanish Inquisition,” a 1994 BBC/A&E production, will re-air on the History Channel this December 3 at 10 p.m. It is a definite must-see for anyone who wishes to know how historians now evaluate the Spanish Inquisition since the opening of an investigation into the Inquisition’s archives. The special includes commentary from historians whose studies verify that the tale of the darkest hour of the Church was greatly fabricated
    http://catholiceducation.org/articles/history/world/wh0008.html

  64. now, back on subject:
    Is this a dagger which I see before me,
    The handle toward my hand? Come, let me clutch thee.
    I have thee not, and yet I see thee still.
    Art thou not, fatal vision, sensible
    To feeling as to sight? or art thou but
    A dagger of the mind, a false creation,
    Proceeding from the heat-oppressed brain?
    I see thee yet, in form as palpable
    As this which now I draw.
    Thou marshall’st me the way that I was going;
    And such an instrument I was to use.
    Mine eyes are made the fools o’ the other senses,
    Or else worth all the rest; I see thee still,
    And on thy blade and dudgeon gouts of blood,
    Which was not so before. There’s no such thing:
    It is the bloody business which informs
    Thus to mine eyes. Now o’er the one halfworld
    Nature seems dead, and wicked dreams abuse
    The curtain’d sleep; witchcraft celebrates
    Pale Hecate’s offerings, and wither’d murder,
    Alarum’d by his sentinel, the wolf,
    Whose howl’s his watch, thus with his stealthy pace.
    With Tarquin’s ravishing strides, towards his design
    Moves like a ghost. Thou sure and firm-set earth,
    Hear not my steps, which way they walk, for fear
    Thy very stones prate of my whereabout,
    And take the present horror from the time,
    Which now suits with it. Whiles I threat, he lives:
    Words to the heat of deeds too cold breath gives.

  65. No Spanish Inquisition eh? Or was it ok? Well who does Cardinal Fang work for then?
    It didn’t say there was NO Spanish Inquisition, just that certain aspects of it was greatly exaggerated and seemingly done so out of propaganda.
    Watch the program, visit the website above.

  67. The Chinese text above is today’s Gospel reading from Matthew chapter 4, about the call of Andrew (and Peter). It is interesting that the phontic Chinese “spelling” of Simon (as in Simon Peter), Si-men, is, literally, “West Gate,” and that Andrew, An-de, is something about peace. Totally confuses machine translators; although babelfish from altavista does better than google.

  69. “Bring out your Dead!” “I’m not dead yet!” Love that
    Monty Python!!!! Anyone for the Lumberjack song?

  71. Somebody. In this room. Must the murderer be. The murderer of the body is somebody in this room, which nobody must leave… leave the body in the room not to be left by anybody. Nobody leaves anybody or the body with somebody. Everybody who is anybody shall leave the body in the roombody. Take the tablets Tiger. Anybody with a body but not the body is nobody. Nobody leaves the body in the…

  74. Shame indeed. But we must not allow ourselves to become too despondent. For we must never forget that if there was not one thing that was not on top of another thing, our society would be nothing more than a meaningless body of men that had gathered together for no good purpose. But we flourish.

  75. POPE’S TURKISH TOUR IS A SURPRISING SUCCESS
    Benedict transforms his pre-speech image as a cranky Islamaphobe
    http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15971974/
    ISTANBUL, Turkey — The newspaper headlines here have been astonishing. “So Far So Good,” read one banner headline; “Alliance of Faiths,” read another. And splashed across the front page of most papers Thursday was a picture of a smiling Pope Benedict XVI waving a Turkish flag.
    With gentle gestures and well-timed words, Benedict managed to charm the Turkish people and transformed his image from a crusty old anti-Turkish Islamaphobe to a politically savvy statesman in a matter of days. (He is set to return to Rome at midday Friday.)
    EXCERPT

  76. Pope’s Turkish tour is a surprising success
    DIRE WARNINGS
    This is not how things were expected to turn out for Benedict’s visit to Turkey. Rather, there were dire warnings of mass demonstrations and fears that there might even be an assassination attempt because tensions were still so raw among many Turkish people over past perceived transgressions by the pope.
    http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15971974/

  77. Not world peace yet, but….
    The hurdles to achieve inter-faith trust are formidable, but as this trip winds up, both the pope and the Turkish people can be considered winners.
    The losers were easy to spot: al-Qaida in Iraq and the Muslim brotherhood in Egypt, both of which protested the Pope’s visit — al-Qaida calling it a “crusader campaign” against Islam — and expressed hope that the Turkish people would extensively protest the pope’s visit.
    Let’s go to the scoreboard: Turkey has a population of 70 million people, 99 percent of whom are Muslim, yet they hosted the leader of the Catholic faith with dignity, respect and, on occasion, charm.
    It was not an easy visit for both sides, but the world got a valuable lesson in tolerance.
    http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15971974/

  78. The unofficial alma mater song of my college is the Lumberjack song.
    p.s. despite the email address its not Syracuse University.
    Go stumpies!

  79. p.s. despite the email address its not Syracuse University.
    J.R.:
    Thanks for the clarification!
    What is it, then?

  80. The full name of my college is:
    State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry at Syracuse
    Yes, it is indeed the longest name of any college in the world. At least we that is what we were told at our freshman orientation.

  81. The only problem with the Lumber Jack song is, we often works all night and sleeps all day.

  82. J.R.:
    What degree you shootin’ for?
    All the Best to you, Brutha!
    I hope you get a well-deserved Christmas/Winter Holiday Break from all that studyin’!

  83. Here comes Denis Moore riding cross the land!
    Here comes Denis Moore with no merry band!
    He steals from the poor
    And gives to the rich
    Stupid [DELETED]!

  84. Qui stultis videri eruditi volunt stulti eruditis videntur.
    Those who would seem learned to fools seem fools to the learned.
    Quintilianus, Institutio Oratroia, X, 7, 22
    pre translated in a book by someone who is not me who really knows Latin

  86. Qui stultis videri eruditi volunt stulti eruditis videntur.
    Those who would seem learned to fools seem fools to the learned.
    Quintilianus, Institutio Oratoria, X, 7, 22
    pre translated in a book by someone who is not me who really knows Latin

  89. Qui stultis videri eruditi volunt stulti eruditis videntur.
    Those who would seem learned to fools seem fools to the learned.
    Quintilianus, Institutio Oratoria, X, 7, 22
    pre translated in a book by someone who is not me who really knows Latin
    Quae haec est fabula?
    Deliras!

  90. The Spanish Inquisition is a myth?!
    No wonder no one expects it.
    Did you actually watch the program or even visit the website? Or are you too intimidated by the fact that it may actually hold some truth in it?
    Besides, it’s by the BBC?!?!?
    Do you really think that of all people, they would be so pro-Catholic?
    Before you cast your hasty judgment on it, it might do you some good to watch it first!
    The Myth of the Spanish Inquisition
    ELLEN RICE
    ————————————————
    “The Myth of the Spanish Inquisition,” a 1994 BBC/A&E production, will re-air on the History Channel this December 3 at 10 p.m. It is a definite must-see for anyone who wishes to know how historians now evaluate the Spanish Inquisition since the opening of an investigation into the Inquisition’s archives. The special includes commentary from historians whose studies verify that the tale of the darkest hour of the Church was greatly fabricated
    http://catholiceducation.org/articles/history/world/wh0008.html

  91. >>Esau understands the code to chaos! Ladies and >>Gentlemen, the new MASTER OF CHAOS!
    Quick tell the chief and Maxwell Smart.
    >>A moose once bit my sister.
    I’ve seen moose play hockey in Manitoba.
    >>Long time reader, first time poster… I got >>engaged after Bible Study last night. Good >>luck with the Moose’s
    Congratulations.
    >>Plate tectonics must be stopped
    Why? It would make as much difference as a drop in the ocean.

  92. The Spanish Inquisition is a myth?!
    No wonder no one expects it.
    Did you actually watch the program or even visit the website? Or are you too intimidated by the fact that it may actually hold some truth in it?
    Um… Esau… It’s a Monty Python reference. You’ve never seen the “No one expects the Spanish Inquisition!” sketch?

  96. Um… Esau… It’s a Monty Python reference. You’ve never seen the “No one expects the Spanish Inquisition!” sketch?
    When Greg and J.R. mentioned it earlier in the post, it was an M.P. reference — not so sure about the last one.

  97. J.R.: any particular reason why we’re quoting the scene in Act II of Macbeth where he’s right about to kill King Duncan?

  99. Esau,
    I’m going for an Environmental Biology degree. It was called Environmental and Forest Biology but they shortened the name of the major because it was long even for ESF. I should graduate December 2007.
    I plan on having a great Winter Break, going down to NYC with my girlfriend, then spending Christmas and New Years with my family, then going to New Orleans for another relief trip (New Orleans is quite addicting) with friends, including my gf again (yay). I hope you have a wonderful Christmas season too.

  100. Oh, and yes we have at least one genuine transvestite at our school.
    David,
    Why wouldn’t I quote Macbeth when he’s about to kill Duncan?

  101. J.R.:
    Hope you have a great time this coming Christmas with your family, friends AND your Girlfriend!
    — Especially with the Latter! I would never take my girlfriend to meet my parents unless it was absolutely serious! ;^)

  102. To be clear I’m not actually taking her to meet my parents, though I will be meeting hers. I’m going to NYC (meeting her parents on the way)then we are going to our respective homes for Christmas. It is serious though.

  103. J.R.:
    That much was clear.
    Why wouldn’t I say that I would never take my girlfriend to meet my parents unless it was absolutely serious — especially in this context! ;^)9

  105. J.R.:
    Just don’t do what someone I know did and let a great gal go free! If it’s actually that serious, and if she really is that special to you, and the relationship has been ongoing for quite a long while now, and she is, in fact, a devoted Christian (be she Protestant or Catholic), sometimes, these are the very ones one should consider spending their whole life with!

  106. Esau,
    This I know. She is a serious Catholic, though probably this is the one area in which she is not totally superior to me. Anyway I am indeed considering it, but it is still way early. She’ll likely meet my parents next summer if not before.

  107. Esau,
    This I know. She is a serious Catholic, though probably this is the one area in which she is not totally superior to me. Anyway I am indeed considering it, but it is still way early. She’ll likely meet my parents next summer if not before.
    Good goin’, Brutha! Admirable that you are taking it slowly! Many times, that’s the best way to take it.
    Sounds like you two are hitting it off though!
    Hope things work out for the two of you!
    Remember — Invite all of us to the Wedding ! ! ! ;^)
    Jimmy can be the one to marry the both of you!
    (still praying (wishin’) that he might become a priest someday — then perhaps Bishop, then Cardinal, then maybe ultimately “Pope” — with a Cowboy hat, of course! Wonder what name he might choose???)
    hehhehe…

  109. and sing you will!…I’ll make you sing, you scurvy jabberwock, or walking the plank with be your end!
    The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
    Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,
    And burbled as it came!

  116. Esau,
    “Albatross!!!” is a Monty Python quote.
    Uhhh… yeah, I know, but what did you want me to do about it???? ;^)

  117. Kewl comments, folks!
    Pope Tex I
    …and the Texan Papal Seal would be
    …Larger than any Other Papal Seal!

  118. “Where’d all the llamas go?”
    Fernando is dead. Lorenzo is out of work…or at least not doing anything significant…

  119. J.R.,
    Does your girlfriend know you are talking
    about her on the internet to a bunch of strangers? ‘-)

  120. J.R.,
    Does your girlfriend know you are talking
    about her on the internet to a bunch of strangers? ‘-)
    David B.:
    Not really, if it’s just to that extent.
    Actually, what would’ve been definitely wrong would have been for him to post a picture of his girlfriend.
    Considering the current circumstances in the world today, that would’ve made for some interesting movie plot for a thriller!

  125. There goes Christmas in NY…love is so bittersweet!
    “Love on the Blogs”
    Coming to a Theatre Near You!

  128. Remember what I said….listen to the Master of Chaos (Esau I) remember the code he gave us… ENTROPY! Maximus disorder=(Lost)Love on the Blogs! Now synchronize and engage!!!
    BRIAN:
    I LOVE this NEW CHAOS Theory! ! !
    Follow Esau I, Master of Chaos! ! !
    He will bring true meaning to:
    “The Blind Leading the Blind!”
    heheheh….

  129. Neil Diamond’s New Hit Single:
    “(Lost) Love on the Blogs!”
    You’ve heard his previous song:
    “Love on the Rocks”!
    Now, hear an entirely new version of the song in “(Lost) Love on the Blogs” following the tradition of Elton John’s “Candle in the Wind” for Princess Diana!

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