Nerdy Bearded Catholic

Just a simple Roman Catholic fella with a lot to say and glorious beard to win any arguement. Huge nerd in Star Wars, LOTR, and GoT. Go Chicago Sports.  

[tastefullyoffensive]

Alternate Names for Animals (photos via Imgur) Related: Name Improvements for Everyday Stuff

[nerdybeardedcatholic]

Pro-Life or Anti-Abortion

The past few years, there has been a pro-life group that has grown on my college campus and it has grown quite vocal on their stance against abortion. They chalk the side walks of campus with Pro-life messages, have a week of pro-life awareness, and even have weekly meetings. Since I consider myself Pro-life as well, I went to one of their meeting to see what all the hooplah was about. I discover that like many “Pro-Life” groups in America, they are merely an Anti-Abortion group. When asked about other Pro-life issues, all other members would say is that they just want to concentrate on fighting Abortion. That is all well and good but that does not make you pro-life. 

I don’t know how many close friends I have that are hardcore, right-wing, anti-abortion people. But when it comes to capital punishment, war, immigration rights even, they are the furthest thing from Pro-Life. This Country as taken the term pro-life and blown it wayyyyy out of portion and is one of the biggest lies in America today. 

Bishop Robert Lynch of St. Petersburg stated in a personal blog of his back in 2013: “I am convinced that many so called Pro-Life groups are not really pro-life but merely anti-abortion. We heard nothing from the heavy hitters in the prolife movement in the last week when Florida last night executed a man on death row for 34 years having been diagnosed as a severe schizophrenic.” (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-gehring/bishop-robert-lynch-abortion_b_3745929.html)

Look up the top Pro-life movements online. Prolife.com is a strict anti-abortion group, not pro life. The Pro-life action league is strict anti abortion. The National Right to Life is a little better since they kind of discuss things like medicare, euthanasia, cloning, and health care rationing. But they are still missing many important issues that a Pro-Lifer should be taking action against like capital punishment. Priest for Life is pretty good website that represents a full pro-lifer even though it seems to concentrate more on anti-abortion. They at least seem to cover all the issues though. 

You can get the picture I’m painting by now. If you hate abortion, go and peacefully protest your heart out. But if you plan on wearing the “Pro-Life” badge, I expect you to be FULLY Pro-Life. If you are just an anti-abortion group and are using the term Pro-Life, you are no better than people who claim to be Catholic but only show up to Mass for Christmas and/or Easter. Yes...all you Anti-Abortion fake Pro-Lifers are Chreasters. Peace Love and Blessings.

-The Nerdy Bearded Catholic

[thebeautifulcatholicfaith]

Hey! What are some good Catholic blogs that you follow? Any funny ones? Thanks!!

catholic memes is good and quite funny.   hopefully,other catholic blogs can reblog this and you can go follow them too

[nerdybeardedcatholic]

I’m newbie catholic blogger that is trying to start up. Little slow with updates and topics right now cuz of finishing undergrad work but i really want and aim to talk politics, religion, sports, and nerdy schtuff with fellow Catholics. :D

[best-of-memes]

Someone took a candid photo of a fight in Ukranian Parliament that is as well-composed as the best renaissance art

[saltycornchip]

this is currently my favorite thing on the entire internet

[by-grace-of-god]

Cardinal Francis George (January 16, 1937 – April 17, 2015)

“I expect to die in bed, my successor will die in prison and his successor will die a martyr in the public square. His successor will pick up the shards of a ruined society and slowly help rebuild civilization, as the church has done so often in human history.What I said is not “prophetic” but a way to force people to think outside of the usual categories that limit and sometimes poison both private and public discourse.” (NCR)

[starwarsvillains]

“Luke, help me take this mask off.”  “But you’ll die.”  “Nothing… can stop that now.”

[nerdybeardedcatholic]

Jesus Takes the Cake

As most of us know the state of Indiana just passed a law that allows businesses the right to deny service if it conflicts with their religious belief. This has sparked a huge uproar nation wide due to the fact of how now homosexuals can be seen to be discriminated against under the name of someone's religion. Many states are moving to pass similar bills or have passed their own religious freedom bills, most recently Arkansas. Now that we are all caught we must ask ourselves, are these bills truly discriminating towards homosexuals or people who are not of the business's religion? No I know I will not be popular to hold this opinion but this is what I honestly believe. First off, the counter argument of "well Jesus ate and hung out with sinners so we should be ok and accepting everyone's beliefs" is totally missing the point. I heard It so many times on FoxNews, CNN, etc. The truth behind it is Jesus dinned with these people to try to reach them to make them repent for their current sins. He did not stop the stoning of Mary Magdalene just to have continue live a sinful life. Jesus told her to sin no more. Matthew did not stay a tax collector after become a disciple. Jesus wanted to show the possibility of redemption for even the most sinful of people. Now what does this have to do with homosexuality and businesses? Well all of this controversy started when a few businesses (bakery and photo studio) refused to make a wedding cake and take pictures at a homosexual couple's wedding because they believe homosexuality is a sin against God according to their Christian beliefs. Now some states are standing up to defend these businesses as they rightfully should. The fact that many people are losing sight on is that the businesses are refusing to support a homosexual wedding. I can't see any other case where the sexual orientation of a person would be asked when it comes to what type of cake they need. If the couple were looking for a birthday cake, a graduation cake, etc. and were denied than I would agree on their argument against this bill. That is discrimination. But if you try to force someone to put their "label" on something that is as they believe against their faith, they should have a say if they want to take part in it or not. A cooperation will sponsor an athlete who is successful but the minute the athlete screws up and does something against their company mission (which should be the reason not to save face), they pull their endorsements (i.e. Tiger Woods and Michael Phelps). All in all, we just need to be respectful of each other during this tense time. Remember above all else that Jesus loves all of us no matter what sins we have committed. All we have to do is love him back, love each other, and sin no more. Easy enough, right?

[catholicliving]

Do we HAVE to abstain from meat on a Friday? I always forget, and I'm new to the church (being confirmed on Easter vigil), and I've not asked my priest yet if it's something we have to stick to. Sorry for the potentially silly question, thank you for the answer, and for running such a great blog!

Yes, we are obligated to obstain from meat on Lenten Fridays, unless you’re like under 14 or over 70 or something. Or if there’s a medical reason. Maybe check with your pastor for clarification. But, I’m pretty sure that’s even like one of the seven precepts of the church or something.

[nerdybeardedcatholic]

There is an exception. St. Francis told his followers to always receive food that someone put in front of you. So if you are guest at someone's house and it's Friday during lent, St.. Francis would find it permissible to eat meat if that is what your host is serving.

[nerdybeardedcatholic]

The Gollum Generation

This story begins at my work. I work at a YMCA like place, in a video game room. Whilst I was enjoying playing NHL 15 (great game by the way), I noticed a child 5 years of age whining about the game he was playing. He didn’t know how to do anything within the game. I went over to help him when I noticed he was in the tutorial mode so the instructions were on the screen. I told the child to read the help instructions on the screen but he told me he couldn’t read.

I wish that story ended there. About half an hour later the mother tells the kid it’s time to go. He immediately starts crying and begging for five more minutes. This goes on for fifteen minutes and he wins the battle. The mother turns to her 2 year old daughter that is watching YouTube kids videos on an iPad and tells her time to go. She shuts down the iPad and all I hear is a blood curling screech. I swear from the sound, the mom was killing her child. It was as if the Nazgul from Lord of the Rings was in the room and I was Mr. Frodo. Despite the poor mother’s attempts to calm the child, the 2 year old screeched until the mom gave her daughter an iPhone to watch kid shows.

Does it end there? No. No it doesn’t.

Once the 2 year old is secured in her stroller, the mother tells her son to turn off the game so they can leave. The son’s scream the came from him had the anguish of Gollum losing his precious. Gollum and his mother argued for ten minutes then finally left, literally being dragged out by the wrist.

It would have been funny if that was my first encounter with a little Gollum. But I work around children and video games often. It almost happens every time I work. I get to see a new version of Gollum almost every day. Parents these days are replacing themselves with video games and tv. Don’t get me wrong, technology is great but compare these kids (gollums and nazguls) to a family I know that doesn’t have a tv in the family room, has their children play and interact with their parents without technology and are home-schooled. Which of these families do you think will have children that will better contribute to society? My money goes on the second group of children.

All in all, technology is not an evil that we should shun. But it should not replace other human interactions and things like books. If and when I have children myself, I won’t allow them to be controlled by such technology. Just think about the story, a 2 and 5 year old acting like they were crack addicts screaming and crying for their next fix. The five year old didn’t even know how to read which is scary. It is not just these kids but whole generations. Don’t believe me? If you have children, or any sort of family any age under 16 that is on their game station, computer, tv, or phone most of the day, see what happens when you take those things away. I promise they will turn into Gollum right before your eyes. Want to change a generation of Gollums from becoming nonproductive members of society? Go camping, hiking, etc. Get out of the house. Read a damn book with your kid! I don’t care what you do just don’t let technology become their parents and their way of life. GOLLUM GOLLUM

[nerdybeardedcatholic]

The St. Paddy’s Contradiction

Erin Go Bragh! It is that time of year that we wear our green drink our green booze and sing bar songs that everyone fakes to know. And all in the name of Ireland’s patron saint Saint Patrick. Little do most know is Patrick was actually against alcohol.

He was one of the first Bishops of Ireland. He used the nature around him to explain who God was as well as the Holy Trinity. Instead of going to church to celebrate this great saint on his holy saint day, we the people decide to get sloshed in his name and for Ireland.

The problem is the lack of reverence for Patrick and what he did for Christendom. Don’t get me wrong, St. Patrick’s day has become more of an Irish Pride which I love to celebrate with some whiskey but we must have some sort of reverence and respect for St. Patrick.

So this year go out and have fun. Drink Jameson and Bailey’s. But keep it in moderation and spend some of the holy day keeping the Trinity close to your heart.