Too Busy To Post

My own rule to always write at least something, every day, may be broken this week.  The weather is just too nice.  Hubby and I went on a hike in Nickerson State Park.  We went on a picnic.  Then we went to a winery in Truro.  On the way home, we stopped at Coast Guard Beach and signed up for a hike, tomorrow.  Besides, the internet is getting sketchy.  I did some research and found out that dust may be inside my laptop.  When my computer gets too hot, it shuts down.  Maybe that's what's happening.

Maybe I just need a new computer.

So if I don't post, don't worry.  I'm just having too much fun.

Keep the Internet Open

United States Conference of Catholic Bishops

We need your help! Please contact your Senators and Representative (by clicking on the link below) and tell them not to use the Congressional Review Act to overturn the FCC’s open Internet rules. Individuals, educational and religious organizations and non-profits must have the same access to the Internet as others. 

Last year, in response to complaints that cable and telephone companies which offer Internet access were blocking access to some Internet sites, the Federal Communications Commission issued rules to encourage an "open Internet."  Those rules prevent these broadband providers from blocking access to online content, discriminating among their customers, and restricting online speech.  This week, members of the House of Representatives plan to introduce a proposal to invoke a little-used law to strip the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) of its authority to protect the open Internet.  This proposed action would leave religious speech on the Internet subject to control by telephone and cable companies, with no recourse.

The Internet has become essential for conversations on matters of faith. It is also quickly becoming the preferred way for people to access services from church entities, continuing education and other means to improve their lives. As commercial television and radio are narrowing churches’ access to the commercial airwaves, the Internet is sometimes the only way for religious organizations to provide programming to individuals.

The actual bill moving through Congress is happening pursuant to the Congressional Review Act (CRA).  The CRA allows Congress to overturn regulations passed by federal agencies.  In this case, the bill would overturn the FCC’s recently announced Net Neutrality regulations.  Importantly, the CRA does not just overturn the existing regulations.  It also prevents an agency from passing future regulations on the same topic (basically so an agency can’t just change a word and re-issue the regulations). 

For more information and help writing to your senators and representatives go to the USCCB link.

Caveat Lector

I've been contemplating on how to verify the "Truth," lately. And coincidently, I ran into another reminder this morning when the Rev. Rob Pollock, from Vancouver, Canada, called my attention to a posting I made on April 15th, "Jewish View of the Catholic Church,". That post consisted of an article Sam Miller had written where he quoted misinformation from the magazine Sojourners that had also quoted misinformation attributed to PA prof Philip Jenkins, who said he never said it.

What am I talking about? Specifically, this quote:

"10% of the Protestant ministers have been found guilty of pedophilia."

When you think about it, 10% is an awful lot! This definitely should have been verified. It shouldn't have slipped by me. Mea Culpa!


So with the help of the ...ah...internet, I've developed some personal criteria to help me evaluate information I read on the "net." I read a lot. And most of it is on a computer. And most of that is "anonymous," unlike academic research, publications, books, etc., that have already been evaluated by scholars et al. But when reading instant news reports, or opinion sites (Huffington Post, Drudge, etc.)there are no filters. And because anyone can have a site or blog, postings of differing quality, written by authors from a wide range of authority, (or not) are available equally. Excellent resources reside along those more dubious.

Caveat Lector!

Hence, the Five True Criteria from The One True Faith:
Authorship: Do I know the author? If not, research his authenticity. Is this article/posting/ opinion, reasonable and realistic?
Spin: Is the information presented balanced and thoughtful? This may involve researching who the author works for, his agenda and other postings and the comments that may have been solicited from the post.
References: Check out all the references given. These may not be true, or may have been retracted.
If it's too good to be true, don't use it: if it can't be verified, no matter how much you want it, don't use it.
Would it be a good use of my time: ok, this is my personal caveat. Would this information be worth a meditation? Would my reflection on this information be a good use of my time?

If I had done # 3, I would have come across the questions and corrections this article solicited. Caveat Lector is on my bulletin board.

BTW, h/t to the John Hopkin's University's Evaluating Internet Information, where I got the idea of having criteria.

Lord, increase my perseverance to adhere to my principles and your commandments. I also humbly ask your grace to discern good from evil. Grant also that my writings be hopeful and never hurtful to anyone because I dedicate my cyberministry to you. I ask this through Christ, our Lord. Amen

Giving this Blog Soul

Archbishop Claudio Maria Celli, the president of the Pontifical Council of Social Communications, said in Zenit today, that the world needs digital witnesses to evangelize and dialog with other religions through the Internet. The Internet is a new world to spread the Good News. We who witness, represent a change in the way people have learned in different ages.

The archbishop affirmed, "Life, events, all that surrounds us are a continuous and incessant reminder: The media has already entered our life in many ways and often not only orient it but condition it; they claim, so to speak, a consideration that corresponds to them by right. Because of this, he said, attention must now be focused on the human being, "who has run the risk of being crushed by the invasion of new technologies and who is asked to take up again fully his own responsibility."

Archbishop Celli affirmed, "We are called, to leave a visible imprint," the prelate said, "recognizable imprints that make one think because of the marks we have in fact left by our presence. If the Internet by definition is virtual, to us corresponds the task of making it concrete, of giving it depth, of offering it, in a certain sense, a soul and hence, life," he said.

"As the first apostles went out into the then known roads," the archbishop affirmed, in this way the Internet "will have to serve us to spread the Good News," which is not only a "poetic image."

Referencing the words of Benedict XVI for the 44th World Communications Day, Archbishop Celli called for "authentic and courageous witnesses," so that the digital continent will "smooth the way for new encounters, always ensuring the quality of the human contact and care for persons and their real spiritual needs."
This means to employ "the digital culture that presents itself today not only as a useful but a necessary service, underlining the anthropological dimension of the whole phenomenon of communication," he said.

This is "deja vu." St. Dominic sent out his friars out on the then known roads, to spread the Good News. That's the definitive poetic image.

Veritas!