June 2, 2006

Goodfellas for God

"While there are countless progressive Catholics around the world with a true sense of compassion and moral integrity, the mob Catholics of 'The Sopranos' are the product of an outdated, suffocatingly traditional Catholicism that prefers ritual to reflection, obedience to individual discernment, routine confession to genuine atonement. The killers turn up regularly at church for weddings, baptisms, communions, funerals and festivals, happily going through all the Good Catholic motions. Meanwhile, their wives who, by and large, have never made the acquaintance of an original thought, parrot everything 'Father' says like clueless children or bleating sheep. And when it comes to what Father says about homosexuality, 'The Sopranos' ascends into the rarified realm of true, unblemished absurdity."

From Mary Beth Crain's latest essay, "The Sopranos"' Mob Catholicism.

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May 7, 2010

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Anna Jarvis, the founder of Mother's Day, hated flowers, candy, and greeting cards. Our kind of mom!

January 28, 2010

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What will happen to Christians' pets after the Rapture? No worries. These animal-loving atheists will feed them.

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In South Carolina, Vacation Bible School gets Sanforized.

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Answer: Betcha Can't Have Just One!

December 24, 2008

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November 25, 2008

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Just as a certain presidential candidate has gone to the extremes of negativity in a desperate attempt to keep his campaign alive, so parallels can be seen on the religious front.

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This hockey mom belongs in the penalty box.