Stopped by a bouncer? Try reciting the creed!

Friday is offbeat story day at AmP. This one is an oldie but a goodie:

My older, cooler brother rang me the other day with a funny story. He and his rock band, “Rocketeer”, had been playing a gig somewhere off Oxford Street. The evening had gone well and when the band’s set finished, they decided to head to a nightclub in Soho. They did the usual rock band thing: ring ahead, pretend they were important, and hope to get the VIP treatment – or at least be allowed to jump the queue. “It usually works a treat”, laughed my brother.

But on arrival, the club had shut its doors. They were too late and a short, angry-looking Irishman blocked their entry. “No”, he said to their (now rather drunken) pleas, “I don’t care who you are. You’re not coming in.”

[See how the band eventually convinced the bouncer to let them in!]

Does anyone have a similar story?

Ph/t: Blog of the Courtier.

Japan's next prime minister is Catholic

BBC News: "Members of Japan's ruling party have selected a bluff conservative, Taro Aso, as their new leader, meaning he is almost certain to become the next PM."

He would be the first Catholic PM in Japan's history.

More about Taro Aso on his Wikipedia page. He also loves comics, was quickly profiled by Time, faces a tough future, is a very big departure from previous PMs, and appears to be quite the renaissance man.

Now, here's my question: presuming he wasn't born Catholic (which would surprise me), when/how did he convert? Can anyone find out?

Papist Sighting: Robert Downey Jr.

Actor Robert Downey Jr., who recently starred in the hit movie Iron Man and is now appearing in Ben Stiller's comedy Tropic Thunder, was spotted by AmP reader James wearing a pink John Paul II t-shirt during his interview today on Good Morning America:


Okay, so who can find out which shirt he's wearing exactly? Drop a link in the comment box!

This is an interesting choice of apparel for Robby Jr., for sure. What a refreshing alternative to the typical "cause t-shirts" hollywood actors and actresses normally sport! And, you know, he still keeps it edgy by going with pink.

update: AmP Reader Mike found a women's version of the t-shirt in red, by Cicero.

update 2: And because this story is getting a good deal of attention, and because folks seem especially interested in Robby Jr.'s relationship to Catholicism, here's an excerpt from an interview he gave to the New York Times in late 2004:

Q. Are you religious? Many people find God as part of their recovery process and there seem to be veiled references in a few of the songs.

A. I'm not above it. But like Jung said about people using religion to avoid a religious experience, I have managed handily to avoid a religious experience. I don't know where I fall. Spiritual Green Party? There were times when I was into the whole Hare Krishna thing, which is pretty far out. Now I would call myself a Jew-Bu, a Jewish-Buddhist. But there were many times when Catholicism saved my butt.

Q. You were a practicing Catholic?

A.I was in as much when I was on the B yard and they asked me, "Are you going to Catholic services or Presbyterian services?" I think I'm going to Catholic because they just give you more stuff. More candles and there's a whole calendar where this day you read this, the next day you read that. It's like a call sheet for spirituality.

So there's something.

Picture: How reformed are you?

Dawn discovers that the Episcopalian Rev. Tommy Allen, is a "closet papist!"

(So does this mean he is very reformed or unreformed, I wonder?)

Video: I Like Being Catholic

Ta-da!



Info:

Earlier this year I gave a speech to a group of parishioners at Divine Mercy Catholic Church in Faribault, Minnesota. At the end of my talk the organizer of the event, Justin Stroh, grabbed his guitar and led the group in a rousing rendition of a song that he wrote, called I Like To Be Catholic. I was so surprised and pleased by the song. It immediately became the unofficial theme song of LoveToBeCatholic.com. After much begging and pleading, Justin's friend Brad posted a music video of the song on LoveToBeCatholic.com. Now I wish to share this fun uplifting song with you. - Tom Hall

Lol. :-)

Picture: Papist Plotting in Florida

I just met someone and I think he possesses excellent taste in personalized plates.

Can you guess why? ;-)

Haha! I love it. Send me your own related submission and - if it's worthy - I'll post it!

Music: UK Superstars ColdPlay talk "Saint Peter" in latest CD

I don't often get a chance to review or talk about pop music, but this thread caught my eye. English rock superstar band Coldplay is releasing a new CD soon, and its subject matter is notable.

I'll get right to the interesting part of the first pre-review which appeared in the UK Sun:

"This latest album — much of which was recorded in churches in Spain and and Latin America — is full of religious references. It’s as heavy-going as the Bible but as ultimately as rewarding if that’s your bag."

British tabloid rhetoric aside, the lyrics of Coldplay's title-bearing song "Viva La Vida" don't dissapoint in terms of religious imagery. See what you think of them:

I used to rule the world
Seas would rise when I gave the word
Now in the morning I sleep alone
Sweep the streets I used to own

I used to roll the dice
Feel the fear in my enemy's eyes
Listen as the crowd would sing:
"Now the old king is dead! Long live the king!"

One minute I held the key
Next the walls were closed on me
And I discovered that my castles stand
Upon pillars of salt and pillars of sand

Chorus: I hear Jerusalem bells a ringing
Roman Cavalry choirs are singing
Be my mirror my sword and shield
My missionaries in a foreign field
For some reason I can't explain
Once you go there was never, never an honest word
That was when I ruled the world

It was the wicked and wild wind
Blew down the doors to let me in.
Shattered windows and the sound of drums
People couldn't believe what I'd become

Revolutionaries wait
For my head on a silver plate
Just a puppet on a lonely string
Oh who would ever want to be king?

Chorus: I hear Jerusalem bells a ringing
Roman Cavalry choirs are singing
Be my mirror my sword and shield
My missionaries in a foreign field
For some reason I can't explain
I know Saint Peter won't call my name
Never an honest word
But that was when I ruled the world

(Repeat Chorus)

This will probably be one of the most popular CDs released this year. I wonder what the other songs say.

Ph/t: Phatmass user "yndige23".

Humor: A little piece of American history

I though this would be appropriate enough for AmP's 2,800th post....

From The Charter of Massachusetts Bay (Colony) - 1691:

“[T]here shall be a liberty of Conscience allowed in the Worship of God to all Christians (Except Papists) Inhabiting or which shall Inhabit or be Resident within our said Province or Territory.”

This was forwarded to me by Matthew Balan who works for MRC and blogs for NewsBusters.

Search for "papist" and this blog appears 1st on Ask!, 2nd on Google, 3rd on Yahoo!, and 4th on MSN.

Tony Blair takes the papist plunge as questions remain

The primary question being whether or not he has also recanted his opposing views on abortion, etc:

• CNS: Ex-British Prime Minister Tony Blair received into Catholic Church
• CWNews: Blair Converts; Catholicism now England's top faith
• CNA: Tony Blair received into Catholic Church, Vatican welcomes him with respect
• CNA: Practicing Catholics now outnumber Anglicans in the UK
  

NH Diocese "urges Catholic voters to support life"

As America's first presidential primary contest approaches, the Diocese of Manchester has asked New Hampshire's Catholic voters to be mindful of Church teachings, particularly those involving the sanctity of human life.

The diocese has announced plans to distribute 50,000 copies of a pamphlet entitled Conscience and Your Vote. While urging voters to consider a wide range of issues, the pamphlet indicates clearly that questions involving the dignity of human life and marriage must be considered paramount. - CWNews.

What a welcome notion. The text of the pamphlet is available online here.

McCain, meanwhile, holds a conference call with "Catholic leaders". CNA has that story.

Tony Blair to become Catholic? Well, not so fast....

An editorial by John-Henry Weston of LifeSiteNews makes the point that "Before Tony Blair Becomes Catholic He Must Renounce Anti-Life and Anti-Family Stands." A quote:

The [UK] Telegraph reports that Blair will now likely enter the Catholic Church at Easter next year. The paper adds this interesting tidbit: "Despite being asked by Cardinal Basil Hume, the previous Archbishop of Westminster, to desist from receiving Communion because he has not converted to Catholicism, Mr Blair received Communion from Fr Michael Seed while he was at Downing Street and from Fr Timothy Russ and Fr Walsh at Chequers."

Plenty more troubling details in the editorial.

Tony Blair to get himself "Poped" post-haste?

The UK Daily Mail claims so and it seems reasonable enough to me (i.e., only a matter of time anyway).

Guy Fawkes, the 5th of November, Ron Paul & $4.2 Million

Noteworthy Ron Paul news:

Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul, aided by an extraordinary outpouring of Internet support Monday, hauled in more than $4.2 million in nearly 24 hours.

Paul, the Texas congressman with a libertarian tilt and an out-of-Iraq pitch, entered heady fundraising territory with a surge of Web-based giving tied to the commemoration of Guy Fawkes Day.

Fawkes was a British mercenary who failed in his attempt to kill King James I on Nov. 5, 1605. He also was the model for the protagonist in the movie "V for Vendetta." Paul backers motivated donors on the Internet with mashed-up clips of the film on the online video site YouTube as well as the Guy Fawkes Day refrain: "Remember, remember the 5th of November." - Associated Press

Who's giving from among the 21,000 new donors, according to USA Today?

• The "Old Right," [such as] Robert Taft and Barry Goldwater Republicans.
• Gun-rights supporters (... Paul [is] "probably the strongest supporter of Second Amendment rights in the Congress").
• Progressives who want to end the Iraq war and are "sick of what they're getting from the Democrats."
• Social conservatives who oppose abortion.

This coming from Ron Paul spokesman Jesse Benton. Notice that last contingent?

The article also states that Ron Paul is "an outspoken opponent of abortion and the war in Iraq, and wants to abolish the Internal Revenue Service."

A clarification from the Ron Paul camp in the NYT:

Mr. Paul did not support blowing up government buildings. “He wants to demolish things like the Department of Education,” Mr. Benton said, “but we can do that very peacefully, in a constructive manner.”

For my part, I feel it's almost obligatory as the AmericanPapist to laud the Ron Paul campaign's choice to embrace a famous papist plot as a spur to their own endeavours, but sadly certain inescapable historical particulars make such a reckless blanket endorsement from me far from laudable.

If you want a more intellectual treatment of this particular question, however, Catholics for Ron Paul has several excellent posts on the topic. See? This is why CFRP is such a useful endeavor. Praise and encouragement to all my fellow contributors. And let's continue to honestly discuss Ron Paul and the merits of his candidacy and platform.