December 25, 2006

1) Maddog said (on 12/26/06 at 12:05 AM):

Saw the report on NY1 today. How much of a Grinch do you have to be to do this.

On the other hand though, I would have loved to have comforted the cute Italian boys that were interviewed on the news about the theft. Makes me want to start going to church in Queens.

2) Todd said (on 12/26/06 at 09:49 AM):

If you don't believe in God, what do you yell out during sex?

3) Adam875 said (on 12/26/06 at 11:41 AM):

I feel like this happens at least once every year at this time. It's despicable, but also I think churches need better safes.

4) Roxzana Sudo said (on 12/26/06 at 09:14 PM):

Dear Faustus: Funny you should say what you did about God. Why do you feel this way? I'm curious mainly because most people don't know anything about the Bible (they usually haven't read it themselves, or only believe what the media has told them or what they THINK is in the Bible), nor have they worked out what their beliefs are with scholastic integrity; Sir Frederick Kenyon, former curator of the British Museum of Art said that if one believes anything about history, including what happened to Napoleon or the events of World War II, then one must believe the Bible, such is the manuscript evidence in favor of Christ truly being the Son of God and being the One who died for our sins (and rising again to be with the Father). I have wanted to say this to you for years. I have read your blog every day for 4 years. I think you are marvelous, witty, and so very intelligent! I know you love a challenge :-) (excuse the smiley, but I am trying to be friendly!!). Do you hazard a reply? --Roxzana

5) Yen said (on 12/26/06 at 11:41 PM):

That's really awful.

6) anapestic said (on 12/27/06 at 09:18 AM):

I certainly deplore larceny, and I particularly deplore the larceny of charitable gifts. Having said that, am I the only one who fails to stifle a laugh at the idea of "Saint Mel"?

A bit of research unearths the following:

Because Mel lived with his aunt, Lupait, and helped on her farm, slanderous gossip developed about their relationship. Patrick came to investigate. To prove that God was on their side, Mel and Lupait each prayed for help and then performed a miracle - Mel plowed up a live fish from the farm land, and Lupait packed around live coal without being burned.

Just in case anyone was wondering.

7) Andy said (on 12/27/06 at 03:09 PM):

Roxzana: I think the larger problem is that the "public faces" of Christianity in America -- at least those who show up in the media -- are idiots. Belligerent, judgmental, arrogant and patently moronic idiots. (And then of course you have religious fanatics killing each other across the Middle East and south Asia.) Because the news media in America is corporate-owned (and therefore profit driven), stories are only "news" if they have entertainment value. The "news" shows only want to interview people who are willing to encapsulate complex theological ideas into 5 second inflammatory soundbytes. The media also tends to think that "religious" is synonymous with "conservative," and so every time there is a story on, for example, gay marriage or Mary Cheney's baby, they haul out James Dobson or quote press releases from Concerned Women for America. This sad habit only reinforces for secular people the fear that religion is a contagious disease that renders the victim incapable of rational thought. If I didn't know better, I'd think Jesus was baloney, myself.

It would be nice if Faustus weren't *quite* so openly dismissive of people of faith (ahem), but as a gay person I can say many religious people are openly dismissive of me (or worse), so I can't hold that against him.

8) ubermensch said (on 12/27/06 at 03:33 PM):

Spoke Andy:

It would be nice if Faustus weren't *quite* so openly dismissive of people of faith (ahem)

It would be nice if people of faith weren't so openly delusional.

9) David said (on 12/27/06 at 06:08 PM):

Besides the meanness of the act, it's just downright tacky.

10) Jere said (on 12/29/06 at 11:30 PM):

And then you had sex?

11) XLibris said (on 12/31/06 at 02:23 AM):

Is St. Mel the Patron of greasy spoon diners? I wonder... This is nowhere near as awful as those devil's minions in East Chicago, IN who ripped off hundreds of packages that careless UPS deliverers left on people's porches.
Check it out

12) Maddog said (on 12/31/06 at 02:52 AM):

Just wanted to widh you a Happy New Year. Your blog was one of the first I stumbled on to and I have really enjoyed reading your posts this year.

May your 2007 be filled with happiness.

13) Jess said (on 12/31/06 at 11:16 PM):

The "Saint Mel" name got my attention when this was on the news. I said to Marc essentially what XLibris said here. It was news to me that there was a Saint Mel.

I love Todd's question. :)