As soon as I get all the kinks worked out, I’ll be moving to “moveable type”. It seems to be a much better and more dynamic way to control things.

Much thanks to Richard Chonak of Catholic Light for all of his assistance.

Sometime last week I did a google search for “captain underpants”. He’s the ridiculously outlandish superhero who wears only underpants. Kids love him. To my dismay, the search turned up an “AdWord” ad for

NIGHT SINNERS

I was really actually surprised. To think, google, the mega-ultimate-great-fantastic search engine would make a goof of high degree really shocked me. There’s nothing worse than the internet throwing pornography into the faces of young children.

So I sent them an email.

Howdy,

If the search term “Captain Underpants” is entered, for some reason, google returns ads for “night sinners” and other adult type links.

Please fix this.

For the children!

-jayson

They promptly responded and requested a screenshot of the situation. So I sent them one, and they promptly fixed the issue

Hi,

Thank you for your email.

I understand that you saw an inappropriate advertisement on a Google results page. Our AdWords Specialists have removed this ad.

The advertisement you saw was generated through the AdWords program, which is designed to give thousands of small business owners the power to quickly and efficiently generate traffic to their sites. The ads they create run on our site immediately. Our editorial staff reviews all ads to make sure that they are appropriate for our site. Since we show ads immediately, there is often a short period of time when the ad is running before being reviewed and approved by Google AdWords Specialists. Please note that we try to keep this lag as short as possible.

Unfortunately, it seems you saw the advertisement before we had a chance to review it. We have since had the opportunity to review the ad and have deemed it inappropriate for our site.

Please accept our apologies. We thank you for your patience and continuing support.

Sincerely,

Theresa
Google AdWords Team

Wow. My faith in google is restored!

Sean, I’ll take this down if it offends you. I thought I’d offer my response to your comments about “Youth 2000″

Surely I’m subtle enough? That’s like a compliment wrapped in an insult!

Actually it was an observation. I’ve known you to be fairly rational, and I thought your conclusions showed a lack of nuance, and a reactionary spirit not based on the solid thinking that you usually portray. You also accused me of something I despise, namely bigotry, and I agree that there was a tad bit of bite in my response. I apologize if it offended you.

In my post, I stated that the kids cheered when the priest declared that marriage was between one man and one woman. You replied rather sarcastically, “Yeah, I like queer-bashing, too.” You missed the boat twice. Firstly, the statement wasn’t about gay marriage per say, but a response to an ever growing threat to the traditional concept of marriage. Such affronts include but aren’t necessarily limited to the attempt to redefine marriage as including homosexual unions. Personally, I’m more concerned with how these young Catholics view marriage and sexuality, as they are under increasing pressure from popular culture to accept MTV sexual morays without thought or argument. The argument against gay marriage from tradition should only hold water with Catholics, who see tradition as something sacred and true.

Secondly, even if I had specifically stated that I think homosexuality is a sin, and that gay marriage is illogical (which I do), I still, in my backwards way of thinking, am not “queer bashing.” It is possible and logical, as banal as the sentiment has become of late, to “hate the sin, but love the sinner.” For in the end, we are all sinners, Sean. I have my own personal struggles with sin, some of which are related to the sin of unchastity. I do not blame or despise anyone, or want to “bash” anyone for the lifestyle that they live. Rather, offer them the truth that I think I have found, and do it in charity. This whole incident reminds me of the late Cardinal John O’Conner of New York. He was known for his compassion for AIDS victims, having given countless hours of his own time fighting for their well being, while at the same time, preaching openly for the conversion of those who chose a homosexual lifestyle. It was a sign of contradiction to the world that someone could be for the sinner, and against the sin.

As if joining your team of backwards thinkers would make me subtle, but treating fellow human beings with respect would place me back in the stone-age with the other mental invalids.

I understand why you think homosexuality isn’t a problem. I was concerned with you drawing the conclusion that I was gay bashing. I’m sorry; I just didn’t and still don’t follow that somehow I’m “bashing queers” because I think that there’s no such thing as two men or two women “getting married.”

Jayson, surely you’re compassionate enough to realize that keeping something to yourself doesn’t make you richer. Marriage is no weaker for allowing other human beings to join the club.

If I disagree with homosexual marriage, it’s not for the silly and meaningless argument that “it weakens traditional marriage.” The state of my marriage doesn’t have anything to do with the state of someone else’s marriage. If this were the case, then we were in trouble a long time ago. The advent of no-fault divorce, and shotgun Vegas style weddings would have already done it in for the collective “marriage” (if there even is such a thing) years ago. The truth is, I oppose gay marriage for strictly religious reasons. But I also support “traditional” marriage for strictly religious reasons as well.

I freely admit it. I’ve thought it through many times. There are no convincing arguments against homosexual marriage that will satisfy the secular mind. There are simply too many premises which must be accepted that rest on a foundation of Christian thinking. I’m not saying that it can’t be proven syllogistically, but that unless the precepts of Christian Doctrine are accepted, then homosexual marriage won’t convince those who don’t already think marriage is a divine institution.

Therefore, I don’t attempt to argue or convince you of the issue. Only this; If marriage is not a divine institution, then at the very most it is a social contract. If it is a social contract, then it is up to society to decide its definition. Therefore, I would personally vote against recognizing two men and two women as having the possibility of being married, but would not find it unreasonable for the majority of Americans to decide to widen the definition.

PS… can we keep the Jews and blacks out, too? It would sure make my marriage stronger.

I know that my beliefs upset you, but I hope you can realize that I wish we can remain friends in spite of our differences.

-Jayson

Sarah, Evelyn, and I just returned from chaperoning at an all weekend retreat: Youth 2000. It took place in Elder High School’s gym, affectionately referred to as “The Pit”. For an entire weekend, 700 youth from Cincinnati and surrounding areas circled around the Eucharist in prayer, adoration, and reconciliation, for what was a most impressive retreat.

“Be not Afraid” – JPII

This phrase came to the front of my mind multiple times throughout this retreat. There is a lot of confusion in the church right now. Clerical abuse, liturgical flip-flopping, and a culture of descent, all add up to a confusing climate for many of American Catholics. Neither rock-solid nor lukewarm catholic are free from the pal that looms over our conscience. And yet. And yet. God told me this weekend that we have nothing to fear. He is in control of the church, and as trite as the timeless truth has now become, “The Gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”

The youth 2000 event was put on by a group of young and energetic priests, brothers, sisters, and and lay persons. The Franciscan friars and the Franciscan sisters of the renewal were the driving force behind the weekend. A frenetic stream of gray darting this way and that, setting up tables, passing out rosaries, and leading in songs and worship, was seen throughout the weekend. The Dominicans played another large role in the weekend, sharing responsibilities with their fellow religious. Area dioceseson priests were in the corner of the gym the entire weekend, serving the steady supply of youth who were seeking reconciliation. Father Steven Alcott from my parish, St. Gertrude spent the entire day Saturday hearing confessions!

Father Bob’s messages and homilies cut right to the core. He didn’t mince words. I was amazed during the Friday night homily when the group of teens spontaneously erupted into applause after father bob calmly declared,

“I know this is basic, but some people are confused about it; Marriage is between ONE MAN and ONE WOMAN.”

With even more enthusiasm, the crowd of teens cheered for well over thirty seconds, of their own accord, when father Bob preached,

“I don’t care how this sounds in terms of ecumenism, because it needs to be said. You can not. I repeat, can not find the fullness of truth outside of the Catholic Church.”

At the end of the retreat, the students were asked if they thought God might be calling them to the priestly or religious life. Well over fifty children raised their hands, came to the front, and declared that they thought that they might have a calling to religious life. One student declared that Father Anthony was able to show him that Priests didn’t have to be nerds.

This was a group of teens, while many times showing the tell tale signs of post Vatican II catechesis, who were proud of their catholic faith. When they can see positive examples of gospel fidelity in front of them, and When the gospel is preached unapologetically with charity and compassion, the fires start lighting.

If the future of the church is left up to these, from the testimonies, orthodoxy, and enthusiasm that I saw by the end of te weekend, then we indeed have nother to fear.

Youth 2000 Cincinnati 2004 Picture Album

Youth 200 pictures are up. Click on the Franciscan Friar holding Evelyn to see the gallery. It was an eye opening experience. Full report to come when I recover from lack of sleep.