My promise: I will go willingly and with an open mind. I will not say/do anything inappropriate.

Wow, what a steal at $10!

To think I've kept an open mind all these years for free, like a sucker.
Saint Kansas | Homepage | 01.28.06 - 4:29 am | #

I think ten Hail Marys would be more productive. This sounds way too much like the old Abe and Sol joke.
Robert N G | Homepage | 01.28.06 - 8:11 am | #

Well, I'm glad he's open minded enough to go to a Christian OR a Catholic church.
John J. Simmins | Homepage | 01.28.06 - 8:26 am | #

It's not his mind that needs to be open but his heart.
annmarie | 01.28.06 - 10:12 am | #

As a former atheist I would say it takes more than just going to a Church. Though God does have a way of chasing after us and will take any opening our will gives him.

There is a rather famous story of atheist skeptic Alphonse Ratisbonne who was challenged by his friend to wear the miraculous medal and recite the Memorare.

http://www.marypages.com/ ratisbo...tisbonneEng.htm

His subsequent conversion was so suprising that it investigated by the Holy See. His brother who was also an atheist became a priest.

So let us ask St. Edith Stein who also passed through atheism to intercede for his conversion.
Jeff Miller | Homepage | 01.28.06 - 10:47 am | #

Oh and this being St. Aquinas' feast day let us ask him to intercede also. My own conversion story, as I could measure it, started with an introduction to St. Aquinas' exposition on whether God exists.

http://www.newadvent.org/summa/1...umma/ 100203.htm
Jeff Miller | Homepage | 01.28.06 - 10:50 am | #

what a force for Christ he can be! I can imagine him telling his capitalist to conversion story to crowds. He can hav my prayers for free.
Aaron da Fish | 01.28.06 - 11:02 am | #

Why not just pick up the Good News Bible and read it from cover to cover?

The Gospel is free, and Christ already paid the price. We don't have to pay anyone to go to church (or synagogue). That's just it! We have free will! If he has to be bought, nothing will work for him. He's got to go freely, with no contingencies.
Rachel Rose | 01.28.06 - 11:51 am | #

I've known this guy since high school, and actually reached your webpage through a link in his profile...and if you still had any doubt, I can assure you that this guy WILL keep his word about being polite, well-intentioned, and inquisitive. And knowing him, he's going to donate all of the money people pay anyway, so it doesn't even count as capitalist.
Lindsay | 01.28.06 - 1:10 pm | #

Good advice on prayer. I meant to put a line in my entry about prayer being free. I'm trying to add one now, only my blog's publishing function appears to be down.

I thought about the Abe and Sol joke too. Here's a version from the Web, not the best version I've heard but it'll do:

Abe and his friend Sol are out for a walk together in a part of town they haven't been in before. Passing a Christian church, they notice a curious sign in front that says "$1,000 to anyone who will convert." "I wonder what that's about," says Abe. "I think I'll go in and have a look. I'll be back in a minute; just wait for me."

Sol sits on the sidewalk bench and waits patiently for nearly half an hour. Finally, Abe reappears.

"Well," asks Sol, "what are they up to? Who are they trying to convert? Why do they care? Did you get the $1,000?"

Indignantly Abe replies, "Money. That's all you people care about.
Dawn Eden | Homepage | 01.28.06 - 1:14 pm | #

No doubt this guy is who he says he is and would keep his promise. However, the skeptic will forgive me for being skeptical. This sounds like an attempt by a college student to become the next Morgan Spurlock.

At the least this will become an insulting gag for his newsletter. At worst, he will film the whole thing and put out a companion piece to The God Who Wasn't There. His gimmick, of course, would be the fact that Christians payed for the insults.

Besides that, what's so special about this Irish church? There are plenty of church buildings around with congregations that are deader than wood. I'd prefer he a) attend a church that actually makes an attempt to communicate to people like him or b) listen to some decent sermons online or c) read some decent books on the topic.

I think "God is not mocked" applies here.
Foyle | Homepage | 01.28.06 - 2:07 pm | #

I think the prohibition against simony applies here, too. If he were really interested or had a particularly open mind on this--ie, if he really wanted to know--he wouldn't be asking people to pay him to investigate. And by "fully participate in the service," does he mean he'll take communion if he goes to the Catholic Church? And we're supposed to pay him for that mortal sin? I think not.
Kate B. | 01.28.06 - 2:21 pm | #

There are soooooo many levels here. Where to start?

I'm hoping this guy is beginnning to question atheism, but doesn't want to admit it -- which is what he'd be doing if he checked out the church on his own. With the 10-bucks-per-look approach, he can always tell himself it wasn't his idea to cross that threshhold -- somebody paid him to do it.

I'd say we don't pay him a nickel, but pray that the Holy Spirit will get his attention. It would also be nice if someone from the "Irish church" were to personally invite him to Mass. And maybe even accompany him and explain the liturgy.
C.J. | Homepage | 01.28.06 - 4:17 pm | #

not everyone ends up at the foot of cavalry by seeking truth or respecting the road they are on. Aslan is not a tame lion and I don't think this guy knows what he is in for if he attends the churches. I think he deserves our legitimate prayers for his salvation
Aaron da Fish | 01.28.06 - 6:59 pm | #

I learned long ago not to give money to a panhandler, but gladly take him to a restaurant for a meal. Similar restraint seems in order here. Without unlimited funds to donate to worthy causes, I'll concentrate them with agencies I already know do a good job, including churches. Let them do the inviting in their own ways.
Bachbone | Homepage | 01.28.06 - 8:58 pm | #

Kate B,

Technically this wouldn't be Simony since it isn't the selling of a eclessiastical office or of a sacrament.

He would probally not be commiting a mortal sin if he took Eucharist because a mortal sin requires grave matter (which this is), knowing that it is sinful, an doint it with full knowledge. This is not to say that this shouldn't be done, but that it would probably not be a mortal sin.
Jeff Miller | Homepage | 01.28.06 - 11:11 pm | #

I've known this guy since high school, and actually reached your webpage through a link in his profile...and if you still had any doubt, I can assure you that this guy WILL keep his word about being polite, well-intentioned, and inquisitive.

But ... so what? I don't give a flaming wazoo that he promises to be polite; that should be a given in a civil society. Why not be well-intentioned for free?

I AM a capitalist through and through, and I'm assuming the return for my ten bucks is a write-up in a newsletter. Now, for that same 10 bucks I can buy the same college kid a paperback of Gerald Schroeder's The Hidden Face of God and get a quarter in change.

Speaking as an atheist myself, how much will it cost to get this guy to stop embarassing other atheists?
Saint Kansas | Homepage | 01.29.06 - 7:56 am | #

Now I assume that someone somewhere will pay him. If no one does, what will the Christian message be...that we wont pay $10 for an open-mind...that we'd rather not be made the fool even if the opportunity exists to save a soul. Its a dilemma.
Aaron da Fish | 01.29.06 - 1:34 pm | #

It is kind of funny, our Lord's grace is not for sale. It can not be earned, we don't deserve it, we can not by our selves ever win it. It has always been given to us as a gift from God.

I would like to advise this person to just attend church with all of his disbeliefs, rage out at God, disabuse him but join with a congregation of people who actually worship the Lord as the authority of all that is, has been and ever will be, Alpha and Omega, End without End.
,BR>I would say that in true Christian Churches he would be welcome to come and participate, worship or watch, believe or not believe. Just come and join us and listen to the word, sing with us joyfuly and talk to us. Let us know your thoughts and then listen to ours and then keep on coming for about a year or two to find out who we really are.


I will tell you who we are, we are people who fuss and fight and who hurt each other at times in spite of our best intentions. We are sinners who try to control our lives and the lives of our family and friends in spite of what our Lord teaches us in the bible. WE covet, we lie and we are real weasels in our real lives but we keep on trying and we do know that our Lord in the form of the Father, the Son (we killed for our sins) and the Holy Spirit, which make one out of three, which we don't really come close to understanding, will take care of us here and now and forevermore. That as I understand it is where our faith starts, then God willing, we grow and grow with that faith until we are over and done with.

So if you are curious, and want to know how it works for us, we will not pay nor will we charge you for this wonderful gift. Just "Come and See" how our living Christ works. If anyone tells you that you can purchase wealth, health or happiness, just put your hand over your wallet and run like hell because these people are just a bit off center and might confuse you at the best.

All the our Christian Faith will give you is the ability to release your fears because "Fear not the Lord is with you." and you will be able to handle better with humility and peace all of the crap that life brings your way. Then you can continue to grow and learn in a neve ending journey that will end with what some of us call your "Heavenly Birthday".

Please remember life is terminal and in the long run we are known by others as a person of faith, kindness, care and deeds. I know so well that this sounds ever so strange but if you care enough to take a stand as a non-believer, "Come and See" what we are doing when we worship, who knows….

(I was a real good atheist for a number of years and I was good at stating my position of non-beliefs. THE END.)
Joe in Dallas | 01.30.06 - 11:19 pm | #

I don't know that he knows what he's talking about...the "Irish Church"? Is it a Catholic church built by Irish people, or some kind of pseudo-Celtic new age sort of thing. And why is it that he says he's willing to go to an "Irish Church" or a "Christian Church" or a "Catholic Church"? I've been to many churches that fit all three descriptions simultaneously.
Daniel | 01.31.06 - 12:53 am | #

It's amazing how someone paid this guy to go to church, but at the same time funded his atheist organization. Pay one atheist to produce more atheists? Not on my dime. However, "on my dime" I have been printing newsletters with articles written by myself and other believers. I listed an auction to see if people would pay so that more people could be reached with the "Good News" and my intentions were questioned because this is something I've been doing all along. Pay one Christian to produce more Christians? Some people would say to leave it to the churches. That would be fine except that the churches never reached me. It was one person who reached me. Whether anyone pays or not, I will continue to reach out to others.
Annette Burkett | Homepage | 02.05.06 - 2:31 pm | #

As it turns out he raised $503 total . All of which he donated to a college fund for other non believers and potential protectors of your liberties ( church and state separation )
frank | 02.06.06 - 6:16 pm | #