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| Europe |
| Mexican Catholic Planned Terrorist Attack In Spain |
| 2011-08-17 |
| A Mexican student was arrested in Madrid on Tuesday after posting his intention to attack anti-papal protestors with toxic gases, including sarin, on the internet. A staunch Catholic, the man said that he could not allow protests against the pope. Benedict XVI is due to arrive in Madrid on Thursday ahead of a weekend of events to mark World Youth Day 2011. Hundreds of thousands of Catholic faithful have already descended on the capital. The pontiff is scheduled to attend a welcome ceremony in the downtown Cibeles area on Thursday evening and to hold a Mass at the Cuatro Vientos aerodrome on Saturday night. World Youth Day 2011 officially began on Tuesday, with a Mass in Cibeles presided over by the archbishop of Madrid, José Antonio MarÃa Rouco Varela. World Youth Day runs until Sunday August 21. Since Tuesday, many of the city's main roads have been closed off due to the papal visit. |
| Posted by:Anonymoose |
| #11 I claim no exclusivity to any particular argument regarding rationality of belief in God (and thus the afterlife) - the theology and philosophy tomes are filled with masterful (Chriustian and otherwise) arguments for it -- I recommend you read "The Case For Faith" by Lee Strobel - someone who started exactly where you are, asking for the exact things you are asking. If you insist on something a bit more simple, apply Pascal's Wager as a starting point and simply give it a try. I am reaching the point in life at which I would be delighted if someone could convince me of an afterlife. In my personal experience, there is your problem. You need to decide to believe (or not). Its called faith for that very reason - its personal, an act of your own will, your "heart" as it were. I know that may not be what you wanted to hear. I know, because I was in your shoes myself - and am a "late in life" Catholic convert (baptized and all that) from scientific "soft" atheist (in college) to Zen dabbler (loved mind games and koans) to agnostic (too lazy/coward to cut clean and either declare atheist or believer). All you need to do is decide to believe, and commit to yourself to try to stand by it; and make a habit of belief and prayer. Expect to have doubts, expect to have severe ones sometimes. Myself, made me doubt a loving God would allow such evil as I have seen especially in the past decade. But keep your word to at least try to come back to believing. In Christianity, remember "Doubting Thomas" as one example of how even an original apostle of Christ had doubts and lacked faith. And in the book of Mark, Ch 9 verse 24 there is the quote of the father of a boy who says to asks Christ to cure his son and is questioned about his belief by Jesus, with which the father answers "I do believe; help my unbelief!". As you can see belief is difficult, which is what you are encountering first hand. It is said that faith is not achieved, it is given - and by asking for it, even in such an indirect method, you are already on the path there should you decide to keep going that way. Keep asking for faith, and you may be surprised that one day if you are willing to believe and make that "leap of faith", the opportunity will present itself. My experience is that it aint easy but it is worth it. |
| Posted by: OldSpook 2011-08-17 23:32 |
| #10 BP -- great quote from Roger L. Simon the other day: So what this agnostic observes is a general atmosphere of religious phoniness — a baseline hypocrisy — on the liberal side and what is often genuine religious faith on the conservative side. (Not all, of course. A number of libertarians are agnostic.). Frankly, I prefer honesty. So I respect Perry for his faith. And, again as we all know, this country was founded on bedrock principles of religious tolerance, which some modern liberals tend to forget includes people who actually believe in God. Personally, I admire Perry’s belief, even envy it to some extent, because I am reaching the point in life at which I would be delighted if someone could convince me of an afterlife. |
| Posted by: Pollyandrew 2011-08-17 18:07 |
| #9 @ PollyAndrew Splitter! Fundamentalist Agnostic BP. |
| Posted by: Bright Pebbles 2011-08-17 17:50 |
| #8 A staunch Catholic Sez WHO? (When I was an altar boy, one of my jobs was to put out the candles. Does that make me a staunch Catholic too?) |
| Posted by: Registered Devout Agnostic Pollyandrew 2011-08-17 17:02 |
| #7 To Rob: It would be third time not second. THe was 311 in 2004 (there are enough funny things in the investigation to write several books) when the conservatives seemed poised for an easy win. And in 2008 a socialist city counselor was murdered by ETA just before the elections who seems to have tilted what looked to be a close race. But given that the socialist candidate is traing by over 10% I fear something as big or bigger than in 2004. |
| Posted by: JFM 2011-08-17 13:15 |
| #6 I wonder if this one'll be rumored to have trained in Belarus too. |
| Posted by: Thing From Snowy Mountain 2011-08-17 12:36 |
| #5 JFM, isn't this the second time the Spanish Socialists have been saved by terrorism? |
| Posted by: Rob Crawford 2011-08-17 12:28 |
| #4 A funny kind of Catholic whose Internet trail leads to far left and pro-abortion sites. Did I mention that this highly opportune for the embattled Socialist Party? |
| Posted by: JFM 2011-08-17 12:21 |
| #3 Nearly forgot: El Pais is to Spain and Zapatero what NY Times is to Obama or what Pravd was to Breznev |
| Posted by: JFM 2011-08-17 12:06 |
| #2 Not condoned, excused, or taught in the Catholic faith...unlike another religion we know of |
| Posted by: Frank G on the road 2011-08-17 11:16 |
| #1 Us Lutherans are lagging WAY behind in the extremism game... |
| Posted by: M. Murcek 2011-08-17 11:05 |