Blog Update 2014

I've been thinking about reviving this blog for some time now, after all my personal distractions lately. Of course, it won't be easy. I'll have to rebuild whatever small audience I had before. But getting page views was never really my main goal. I've met a few friends in the Catholic blogosphere and on social media, and they've been supportive. For their sake, I should probably continue growing in the Catholic faith. If I have interesting thoughts about this sometimes hectic journey, perhaps I can share them here.

I'll also have to consider my focus. Before I went on hiatus, I suspected it was the intersection between Catholicism, philosophy, and pop culture. A lofty goal for a young kid...

P.S. I really need to update the look of this blog. If nothing else, perhaps I can use my photo editing skills to create a catchier blog header image. 

Blog Update

Being away from the blogging game has given me time to reflect about my niche  in the Catholic blogosphere. I know for sure I'm the only Catholic blog with an image of Rainbow Dash with a halo next to St.Thomas Aquinas. Now that I'm thinking of reviving my blog, I'll probably update the banner with my improved photo editing skills .I might even keep the pony just for the uniqueness.

There are a few good Catholic sci-fi blogs (The B-MovieCatechism, God and the Machine, Otaku Catholic, and John C. Wright). My friend DGD also has "Sci-Fi Catholic." I guess I can squeeze in somewhere.

If you're curious, the "RPG" in my name stands for "Role-Playing Game." Depending on when you were born, you might immediately think either Dungeons & Dragons or The Elder Scrolls. Since I'm in my early 20s, I'm far more familiar with the recent computer RPGs.

I'm not quite sure how I can relate video games with Catholicism, but if my friends Brandon Watson and Dave Ives can extract philosophical and theological insights from the Care Bears and the Star Wars Holiday Special, I can probably do some of the same with Mass Effect or Bioshock.

Hiatus

I've been mired in pop culture distractions for the last few months and this blog has fallen silent. However, I'm hoping to start blogging again on a semi-regular basis. Perhaps I can regain some of the early momentum I had in 2012, but if I can just get back in the blogging habit, that'd be a victory for me. Wish me luck! 

The Least of Us

"I'm not a bum. I'm a human being." - Ronald Davis  HT: Aggie Catholics

Gosnell

I haven't posted in a while, as I'm still trying to sort through various concerns both personal and school-related, in addition to the typical pop culture distractions afflicting a millennial like me. However, more important than my current blogging malaise is the disgusting news about abortionist Kermit Gosnell and the mainstream media blackout on the murder case. I don't even feel like sharing the gruesome details. However, word definitely needs to get out, even if it doesn't fit the MSM's typical pro-choice bias.

Be sure to check out Liz Scalia's coverage.

Over at Clan Donaldson, Cari still manages to find ways to cheer up, using images of Rainbow Dash.

SCOTUS Starts Hearings on DOMA and Prop 8. Cases.

A transcript of yesterday's Supreme Court hearings is available here. (HT: First Thoughts)

As for the basics of the same-sex marriage debate, especially regarding the nature of marriage, and why the state takes an interest in marriage, see the following:

- Robert P. George, Ryan T. Anderson, & Sherif Girgis, "What is Marriage?" article, book

- Ryan T. Anderson, "Marriage: What It Is, Why It Matters, and the Consequences of Redefining It," The Heritage Foundation

- Steven Smith, "The Red Herring of "Marriage Equality," Public Discourse

- Brandon Vogt, "10 Best Arguments for 'Same-Sex Marriage;…and Why They’re Flawed," Our Sunday Visitor

- Francis Beckwith, "Interracial Marriage and Same-Sex Marriage," Public Discourse

- Tim Hsaio, "The Case for Conjugal Marriage" flowchart

- Marcel LeJoune, "Why Same-Sex Marriage Is A Bad Idea," Aggie Catholics




Also, here's Ryan T. Anderson debating Piers Morgan on CNN (HT: The Foundry):




I stand with Ryan!

Habemus Papam

Pope Francis I, formerly Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio

Cardinal Bergoglio from Argentina elected as Pope Francis I. 

His blessing:

Brothers and sisters, good evening!

You know that it was the duty of the Conclave to give Rome a Bishop.  It seems that my brother Cardinals have gone to the ends of the earth to get one... but here we are... I thank you for your welcome.  The diocesan community of Rome now has its Bishop.  Thank you!      And first of all, I would like to offer a prayer for our Bishop Emeritus, Benedict XVI.  Let us pray together for him, that the Lord may bless him and that Our Lady may keep him. 

And now, we take up this journey:  Bishop and People.  This journey of the Church of Rome which presides in charity over all the Churches.  A journey of fraternity, of love, of trust among us.  Let us always pray for one another.  Let us pray for the whole world, that there may be a great spirit of fraternity.  It is my hope for you that this journey of the Church, which we start today, and in which my Cardinal Vicar, here present, will assist me, will be fruitful for the evangelization of this most beautiful city. 

And now I would like to give the blessing, but first - first I ask a favour of you: before the Bishop blesses his people, I ask you to pray to the Lord that he will bless me: the prayer of the people asking the blessing for their Bishop.  Let us make, in silence, this prayer:  your prayer over me. 

Now I will give the Blessing to you and to the whole world, to all men and women of good will.

Brothers and sisters, I leave you now.  Thank you for your welcome.  Pray for me and until we meet again.  We will see each other soon.  Tomorrow I wish to go and pray to Our Lady, that she may watch over all of Rome.  Good night and sleep well!

Handy Dandy Conclave Resources

While I continue to try to get back into the blogging mood, here's the Crescat's useful compilation of resources on the Conclave election, which begins tomorrow.

Also, Thomas McDonald of "God and the Machine" recommended the Conclave news app for Apple and Android devices, and Jeff Miller, the "Curt Jester," pointed out the PopeAlarm.com text message/email notification service for when the smoke rises.

A Tribute to Benedict XVI's Final Day as Pope: The Regensburg Address

Source

Susan of Ironic Catholic asked her fellow Catholic bloggers to post a small tribute to Benedict XVI's final day as Pope.

I think it's fitting with Benedict XVI's academic background that I quote from his Regensburg Address, which dealt, among other things, with the perennial issue of the relation between Faith and Reason, Fides et Ratio:


The West has long been endangered by this aversion to the questions which underlie its rationality, and can only suffer great harm thereby. The courage to engage the whole breadth of reason, and not the denial of its grandeur - this is the programme with which a theology grounded in Biblical faith enters into the debates of our time. "Not to act reasonably, not to act with logos, is contrary to the nature of God", said Manuel II, according to his Christian understanding of God, in response to his Persian interlocutor. It is to this great logos, to this breadth of reason, that we invite our partners in the dialogue of cultures. To rediscover it constantly is the great task of the university.

- James V. Schall's book on the Address.

Pope Benedict's XVI's final tweet

                                                          HT: Aggie Catholics

Will the Next Pope be Catholic?

My friend Bryce looks at the "shocked, shocked" New York Times reaction to Pope Benedict's belief that Catholicism is true, while Get Religion looks at several newspapers bringing up the possibility of a new progressive pope. 

I think the answer to the suggestion that the election of a new pope might bring a change in Church teachings on "pelvic issues" like abortion, contraception and same-sex marriage is clear...

HT:  The Hermeneutic of Continuity 

HT: Creative Minority Report

Fr. Dwight Longenecker gives a more detailed explanation of  why some journalists are misreading Pope Benedict's resignation. 

Pope Benedict XVI to Resign

From the Pope's Declaration on Vatican Radio:

well aware of the seriousness of this act, with full freedom I declare that I renounce the ministry of Bishop of Rome, Successor of Saint Peter, entrusted to me by the Cardinals on 19 April 2005, in such a way, that as from 28 February 2013, at 20:00 hours, the See of Rome, the See of Saint Peter, will be vacant and a Conclave to elect the new Supreme Pontiff will have to be convoked by those whose competence it is.
Dear Brothers, I thank you most sincerely for all the love and work with which you have supported me in my ministry and I ask pardon for all my defects. And now, let us entrust the Holy Church to the care of Our Supreme Pastor, Our Lord Jesus Christ, and implore his holy Mother Mary, so that she may assist the Cardinal Fathers with her maternal solicitude, in electing a new Supreme Pontiff. With regard to myself, I wish to also devotedly serve the Holy Church of God in the future through a life dedicated to prayer. 

From the Vatican, 10 February 2013 

BENEDICTUS PP XVI

Please pray for Pope Benedict while reaches the final days of his office. May God bless him.

Star Trek Into Darkness Super Bowl Trailer

We get a few more glimpses of the villain...

I'm a Princess Now! (MLP: FiM Twilight Alicorn Spoilers!)

I know everypony already heard the big news from Entertainment Weekly that Twilight Sparkle will become an Alicorn princess in the season finale. But I overslept when the announcement came and I figured now that I'm up I'd put in my two cents.

First, the big spoilerific pictures:

HT: The HUB FB page

Interesting that Alicorn Twilight doesn't seem to have the supermodel figure like the three other princesses.

“I love when you comb my hair!”



Now to the nitty, gritty details:

First,  the head writer Meghan McCarthy had this to say in the EW article:


“[Twilight] was set up from the very beginning to be on an important journey,” explains MLP head writer Meghan McCarthy. “It’s really about her earning this new status by combining all the things that we’ve seen her learn over the course of the series.”

But don’t worry, Pony fans — though Twilight will undergo a physical transformation, her personality will remain the same. “What we didn’t want to do was change who she is as a character, because she’s certainly someone that everyone’s proud to know and love,” McCarthy says. “I don’t think becoming a princess really changes her; I think it’s going to introduce some new challenges for her.”

Those challenges will include living up to that  lofty new title. In MLP‘s Equestria, “princess” is a designation that’s earned, not freely given — and though princesses have specific leadership roles in pony society, being one really means “being a good pony who shares the gifts that they have been given with others,” according to McCarthy. “We’re building a very unique mythology around being a princess,” she continues. “Every little girl wants to be a princess, and not everybody can get to be a princess — but you can live up to the ideals that should come along with being a princess.”

So,

1. The writers were dropping hints in the first two seasons that Celestia was grooming Twilight for something big, a doozy.

2. Twilight will end up becoming an Alicorn Princess in the season finale, as some of us suspected.

3. Although Twilight will sprout wings and presumably receive a massive magical power boost, her personality will remained unchanged. She'll still be the same eggheaded, OCD Twilight we all know and love.

4. With great power comes great responsibility. Becoming an alicorn princess is no minor promotion; Twilight is now in the same class as Celestia, Luna, and Cadence. How Twilight's relationship to the  Mane Six stands is now an interesting question.  On that topic, Tara Strong, Twilight's VA, posted this tweet:

Assuming Tara's right, wherever Twilight goes, her friends will follow. Also, Morgan Freeman voicing Twilight?!? It sounds like we have some awesome exposition ahead!

Lauren Faust also gave her reaction on her Twitter, though the second line mysteriously disappeared a little while later:

***

As for what I think of this news, well, I'm going to play it safe and wait until February 16, when the season finale airs, to give my final say. If the writers can't handle this big change, then I think it's safe to freak out and consider my future as a Brony:

J.J. Abrams Set to Direct New Star Wars Film

The news articles started popping up yesterday announcing J.J. Abrams as director for the upcoming Star Wars Episode VII. Today, Disney made it official. Abrams, of course, is the current director for the Star Trek reboot, with the second film, Star Trek into Darkness, set to release soon.

A good choice? Well, personally, I did enjoy Star Trek and if Abrams can bring some of that same style to Star Wars then perhaps he can breathe some new life into this sagging franchise:

                       
         I hope Abrams can also make Star Wars a "fun and watchable action-packed thrill ride."

           
       J.J. Abrams directing both Star Trek and Star Wars? Mr. Plinkett predicted it. Well, sorta...

Could the Rumors Be True? MLP: FiM Princess Coronation Preview

Somepony is going to be crowned as a new princess of Equestria on the MLP: FiM season 3 finale on February 16, probably Twilight Sparkle. But will she turn into an alicorn? I have no idea, as this HUB preview doesn't give away much information other than Twilight finally achieving her destiny, whether or not that involves suddenly sprouting wings... (HT: Equestria Daily)

MLP: FiM Season 3 Preview: Last Four Episodes + Keep Calm and Flutter On Clip

There's only four more episodes to go in Season 3 of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. Unless I'm mistaken, we'll see the return of Discord, an episode focused on the pets and Spike, and the culmination of Twilight's magical training (I keep hearing rumors about alicorn princess Twilight, but that's just brony speculation at this point).  Oh, and the most recent preview from the HUB assures us of two more things: 1) Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy will hoof bump and 2) The Mane Six will use The Elements of Harmony to defeat the final episode villain, whoever that happens to be. (HT: Equestria Daily)

Update:

Entertainment Weekly has a short preview clip from this Saturday's episode "Keep Calm and Flutter On," featuring the return of Discord, voiced by John de Lancie, who played Q in Star Trek: The Next Generation. (HT: Equestria Daily)

Mike Flynn and John C.Wright Interview

It's not every day when the well-known Catholic writers Michael Flynn and John C. Wright get together to talk Catholicism and Science Fiction. The interviewer and medievalist Sandra Miesel also includes an article on the subject of Catholic Science Fiction. Be sure to give both a read!  (HT: Mark Shea).

I should also mention the Catholic Writer's Guild, which includes many sci-fi writers.

Most Popular Posts of 2012

With a few hours left in 2012, I can still squeeze in another post. I started this blog back in April, with the intention of sharing my thoughts on Catholicism, Philosophy, Theology, and Science Fiction/Fantasy, with a few interludes into the My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic show that I began watching in February. Now, I haven't exactly kept this mission statement...

Anyway, I've seen a few bloggers in the Catholic blogosphere share their "top 10 most popular posts of 2012," so I decided to include mine, even though I get a fraction of the visitors of well-known Catholic bloggers like Mark Shea, Marc Barnes, and Edward Feser:


1. MLP: FiM Season 3 Spoilerific Post

2. Appletastic MLP: FiM Season 3 Speculation

3. Fluttershy and the Virtue of Friendliness: Part 1

4. Make Some Friends! Lauren Faust on Philia: Part 2

5. MLP and the Virtues

6. Octavia: Behind the Music

7. MLP: FiM Season 3 Preview: The Crystal Ponies

8. MLP: Top Wing (Spoilers!)

9. MLP: FiM Season 3 Extended Preview

10. Discord: The Most Dangerous MLP Villain?

I sense one common thread here among the top ten, but I can't seem to put my finger on it. On an unrelated note, here's a random picture of my favorite pony, Derpy Hooves:

I'm thankful for all the MLP-related visits, but in 2013, I might consider focusing more on the "Catholic" part of "RPG Catholic." Perhaps I can strike a balance between ponies and Catholic philosophy/theology...

New Year's Resolutions

I'm not a big fan of new year's resolutions since they usually involve virtues or vices that we should already be cultivating or avoiding. We don't really need a reminder to take care of ourselves, to be more honest, kind, and generous to others and less of a pain to be around. But, I guess it wouldn't hurt to list a few things not related to my struggle to become a virtuous person (or at least not as obviously related):

1. Start writing and finishing my writing projects (fanfics, blog posts, the MLP Virtue Ethics series, a sci-fi or fantasy novel, etc.)

2. Cut down on the social media distractions from Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube (very important for resolution #1)

3. Learn a new skill, like video editing or drawing.

4. Finally pass Mass Effect 3 and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.

But the moral resolutions still loom large:

Prideful Trixie

1. I should work on humbling myself, lowering that pride that opens the door to all other vices.

Lazy Rainbow Dash

2. I should fight my tendency towards sloth, which not only leads to physical laziness, but also moral and intellectual passivity. If I let myself be ruled by acedia, not only can I not become an academic philosopher, but I also cannot hope to live a good life.

3. Of course, I should strive to be less of a bad Catholic, turning toward God, the Final End, instead of away from Him.

This is Muffin Turf!

I don't tend to encourage spray painting on public property, but this MLP graffiti from Argentina is pretty cool and preferable to the typical bleak gang-related stuff we see (HT: Nate Winchester):

Derpy Hooves: One Happy Muffin

Twilight Sparkle & Rainbow Dash

Check out more here & here.