{"id":1566,"date":"2017-08-23T22:57:37","date_gmt":"2017-08-23T22:57:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/?p=1566"},"modified":"2021-01-07T18:55:18","modified_gmt":"2021-01-07T18:55:18","slug":"expectations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/brendans-island.com\/catholic-citizen\/expectations\/","title":{"rendered":"Expectations"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/a><\/p>\n

Danae’s odd view of Papal infallibility isn’t accurate. (July 30, 2017<\/a>)<\/p>\n

<\/a>But I’m not upset by Non Sequitur’s ‘Church of Danae,’ particularly since I see the funny side of the cultural quirks Wiley Miller highlights.<\/p>\n

I do, however, occasionally use Danae’s distinctive theology and Eddie’s “Biblical Prophecies” as a contrast to my faith.<\/p>\n

I’m a Christian, and a Catholic.<\/p>\n

I have well-defined views on social and legal issues: but I am not conservative or<\/strong> liberal. I’m Catholic. (January 22, 2017<\/a>)<\/p>\n

That means acting as if Jesus, love, and people matter. It does not mean desperately trying to live as if the 1960s never happened. (June 2, 2017<\/a>; May 7, 2017<\/a>; February 5, 2017<\/a>)<\/p>\n

Since I am a Catholic, I must think that seeking truth is vital. I must also support religious freedom \u2014 for everyone<\/strong>, not just folks who agree with me. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2104<\/a>–2107<\/a>)<\/p>\n

Insisting on truth occasionally means learning something new.<\/p>\n

<\/a>I like the process, but even if I didn’t \u2014 being afraid of truth isn’t an option. As Pope Leo XIII said, “truth cannot contradict truth.”1<\/a><\/sup> Reason, reality, faith, and science get along fine. Or should. (March 31, 2017<\/a>; January 29, 2017<\/a>)<\/p>\n

Faith, for a Catholic, should mean willingly and consciously embracing “the whole truth that God has revealed.” (Catechism, 142<\/a>–150<\/a>)<\/p>\n

“The whole truth” means just that \u2014 everything, including truth we find in the natural world\u2019s order and beauty. Appreciating the wonders surrounding us is a good idea. (Catechism, 32<\/a>, 41<\/a>, 74<\/a>, 283<\/a>, 341<\/a>, 2500<\/a>)<\/p>\n

Granted, other folks, including some Catholics, seem to have other ideas. That may help explain Non Sequitur’s “Church of Danae,” and America’s recurring ‘End Times’ fads.<\/p>\n

Some Christians actually believe them. I don’t know why.<\/p>\n

<\/a>‘End Times’ Predicted: Again<\/h4>\n

<\/a>Looking up eclipse-related folklore, I ran into another ‘End Times’ prediction. Two, actually.<\/p>\n

They both feature ‘signs in the sky.’ Last year’s was a lunar eclipse.<\/p>\n

Someone else is having a go at it this year, with a bunch of planets, and I expect pretty much the same results.<\/p>\n

I’ll be back on Friday, talking about this week’s eclipse, science, and a cloudy Monday in Isle of Palms.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, here’s a brief \u2014 for me \u2014 discussion of those two ‘prophecies.’ Also some (real) astronomy.<\/p>\n

I’ve said most of this before, so feel free to get a cup of coffee, take a walk, whatever. My take on The Usual ‘End Times’ Silliness<\/a> starts in a few paragraphs.<\/p>\n

I take the Bible seriously. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 101<\/a>–133<\/a>)<\/p>\n

I also expect our Lord to come back. That’ll happen when it’s supposed to. (Matthew 24:36<\/a>–44<\/a>, 25:13<\/a>; Mark 13:32<\/a>–33<\/a>)<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, we’ve got work to do. (Matthew 28:16<\/a>–20<\/a>; Acts 1:6<\/a>–11<\/a>; Catechism, 668<\/a>–670<\/a>, 1928<\/a>–1942<\/a>)<\/p>\n

My job starts with loving God, and my neighbors; and seeing everybody as my neighbor. (Matthew 5:43<\/a>–44<\/a>, 22:36<\/a>–40<\/a>; Mark 12:28<\/a>–31<\/a>; Luke 6:31<\/a> 10:25<\/a>–27<\/a>, 29<\/a>–37<\/a>; Catechism, 1789<\/a>)<\/p>\n

I’m also expected to pass along the best news we’ve ever had. God loves us, and wants to adopt us. All of us. (Romans 8:15<\/a>; Ephesians 1:3<\/a>–5<\/a>; Peter 2:3<\/a>–4<\/a>; Catechism, 1<\/a>–3<\/a>, 27<\/a>–30<\/a>, 52<\/a>, 1825<\/a>, 1996<\/a>)<\/p>\n

That, I take seriously.<\/p>\n

America’s perennial ‘end of the world’ predictions? not so much.<\/p>\n

<\/a>The Usual ‘End Times’ Silliness<\/h4>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n

Sales for one bestselling ‘Judgment Day’ book peaked in early 2014.<\/p>\n

Biltz and Hagee’s prediction had a catchy name: the blood moon prophecy. Their portents of doom included the September 27, 2015, lunar eclipse.<\/p>\n

The lunar eclipses and Jewish holidays they cited were real.<\/p>\n

And we’re still here. I see this as yet another fizzled ‘End Times’ prognostication. The odds are pretty good that something bad happened after that date \u2014 leaving the door open for their next bestseller.<\/p>\n

They may want to wait a while, though. Another ‘End Times prophecy’ has started getting attention. Several news outlets have helped, and there seems to be an AT&T documentary in the works.<\/p>\n

A Wikipedia page on this one includes the “may not be reliable” disclaimer for its sources. Maybe whoever put that up had some of the more histrionic news publications in mind. Or maybe not.<\/p>\n

Anyway, the folks who launched this ‘End Times’ expectation haven’t given themselves much time. The campaign seems to have started this year \u2014 and kickoff for their “Tribulation Period” is in September.<\/p>\n

Maybe they’re counting on something making headlines around then.<\/p>\n

<\/a>‘Signs in the Sky’ and El Paso<\/h4>\n

<\/a>The promoters added an interesting bit of astronomical trivia to the usual bit from Revelation. Mercury, Mars, Venus, and Jupiter will be near each other in Earth’s sky during September this year.<\/p>\n

This conjunction doesn’t happen every year.<\/p>\n

But it’s hardly unique.<\/p>\n

Someone asked Christopher M. Graney about the September ‘signs in the sky’ prognostication.2<\/a><\/sup> He’s a physics and astronomy professor who’s also a Catholic.<\/p>\n

Sure enough, that particular conjunction will happen in September of this year. Again.<\/p>\n

Graney did a little checking, and found that pretty much the same thing happened in September of 1827, 1483 \u2014 and a bunch of other occasions since 1017.<\/p>\n

I did my own checking, and found out that stuff happened in 1827.<\/p>\n

It’s an important date in El Paso’s history, for example. Construction of the first residence there started in September, 1827.<\/p>\n

I’m pretty sure more stuff happened in 1483 and the other years, too.<\/p>\n

I’m also quite sure that this is yet another false alarm. (July 14, 2017<\/a>)<\/p>\n

I don’t know why folks, including some who should know better, keep falling for bogus ‘prophecies.’ (August 13, 2017<\/a>)<\/p>\n

And now for something completely different:<\/p>\n