Maher points the way to faith

From Richard John Neuhaus in First Things, something that again connects to the extraordinary views of Christians. This takes us back to two threads: first, the conversion of Chesterton and second, the Mythical/Magical/Mysterious nature and elements of Christian orthodoxy.

Chesterton was converted based on becoming convinced that Christianity explained the odd things in life. He noted that many theories could explain obvious things. But Christianity made odd claims that turned out to explain the world.

The comedian Bill Maher recently delivered himself of some rather decided views on religion in general and Catholicism in particular. On a late-night talk show he said:

“You can’t be a rational person six days of the week and put on a suit and make rational decisions and go to work and, on one day of the week, go to a building and think you’re drinking the blood of a 2,000-year-old space god. That doesn’t make you a person of faith. That makes you schizophrenic.”

...[we] might ask whether the Mahers, at least at times, do not, however inadvertently, render a service in pointing to the astonishing nature of Christian truth claims. Astonishing if they are not true, and more astonishing if they are. We are not schizophrenic, but we are keenly aware of the tension and, at times, the conflict between the gospel and culturally conventional understandings of reality....