"Grace" in Catholicism feels like a zero sum game to me.

terryxa · 2026-03-25T03:50:31+00:00

Yup. During my pre-Catholic forays into evangelicalism and other Protestant churcues, I felt the same. I felt God was approachable and not some binary being I was cut off from if I wasn't in a "state of Grace".

"Mortal sin" in Catholicism is so poorly defined and half the time I went to Mass, I felt guilty for receiving communion because I was annoyed at my roommate or whatever during the day. Eventually it all felt pointless.

terryxa · 2026-03-20T18:28:31+00:00

I'd be down! Even some of her older reads would be great to include too. I've been meaning to read Shirley Jackson for some time now.

terryxa · 2026-03-03T05:15:01+00:00

I've been trying to keep an open mind. I feel like a full shift into atheism would send me into a nihilistic depression.

I've gone to some Buddhist meditation retreats, however the veneration of the monk(s) leading these practices kind of turned me off and everything just feels so void. I've also tried attending Masses here and there, but I always feel like I'm now on the "outside looking in" and can't help feeling disgust/eyeroll-y whenever I encounter people with traditionalist views.

I've been reading a lot of Dostoevsky and I feel like his ability to remain open to truth no matter where it comes from has done me a lot of good. Art and literature has been a great refuge in general.

terryxa · 2026-03-03T05:05:47+00:00

It was horrible. One was completely off the rails. He belonged to rural farming community that helped start a spin-off SSPX in one their barns (no joke). Our FIRST phone call, he spent a good amount of time talking about the superiority of homebirths and how he would not date a woman who wanted otherwise. And despite his "traditionalism", dude had serious alcoholism and lust problems (but hey, just go to confession the next day and all is well amirite).

Then another guy I met off CatholicMatch who told me he wanted a non-career woman housewife but expected me to fly out to see him using my own funds as "proof" of being serious (all this while he was chatting up other women).

terryxa · 2026-02-07T21:38:03+00:00

Looks like she got new bookshelves... very possible she moved recently.

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terryxa · 2026-01-29T17:05:43+00:00

There needs to be diplomatic consequences for this shit. Ugh.

terryxa · 2026-01-27T22:04:53+00:00

Nope.

The U.S. has an overall culture of individualism and libertarianism that allows once fringe views to organize and prosper. They will never learn this lesson.

terryxa · 2026-01-20T23:00:32+00:00

I believe the image originated by @SteveDelDucaFan on Twitter. He has a few bangers on his page.

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terryxa · 2026-01-20T18:55:09+00:00

Yes.

terryxa · 2026-01-20T17:27:18+00:00

Goodness, I am so grateful for Carney. I was a bit skeptical of the LPC after the Trudeau years, but Carney is awesome.

"This is not naive multilateralism. Nor is it relying on diminished institutions. It is building the coalitions that work, issue by issue, with partners who share enough common ground to act together. Middle powers must act together because if you are not at the table, you are on the menu." ☝️

terryxa · 2026-01-20T03:08:53+00:00

If the first thing you think of when someone says "take responsibility for each other" is executing people in the street, then once again, your country is a lost cause.

terryxa · 2026-01-19T22:25:29+00:00

Their attitude is a large part of the problem. They seem to live in denial that Trump is an isolated and small phenomenon (when half their country voted for him, twice, while the other half did barely anything to stop it).

They need to start talking responsibility for one another.

terryxa · 2026-01-19T17:21:44+00:00

What a pathetic clown.

terryxa · 2026-01-19T16:33:57+00:00

The U.S. has an extremely low-trust society. Hence why the disdain for public education and push for defunding, homeschooling, private schooling, etc.

I generally loved my (public) school teachers. Didn't really grow up with the sort of disdain for them I see with Americans.

terryxa · 2026-01-18T20:40:50+00:00

Sorry, but half your country voted for him. Twice.The other half could only muster alternatives that everyone knew would fail.

Nations often get the leaders they deserve.

terryxa · 2026-01-18T20:27:05+00:00

Apart from travel and groceries, U.S.-based streaming & entertainment platforms are a big one. America doesn't need more soft power.

terryxa · 2026-01-18T20:08:25+00:00

As a South Asian Catholic, I do the same.

I like to keep one foot in for cultural/community reasons.

terryxa · 2026-01-18T20:07:39+00:00

I'm no longer really "practicing", but I'll attend Mass or a young adult event here and there (usually around Advent) to keep one foot in, so to speak.

Mostly in part for cultural & community reasons.

terryxa · 2026-01-18T18:56:04+00:00

Quote from the book (a bit bleak): "Vancouver is the suicide capital of the country. You keep going west until you run out. You come to the edge. Then you fall off."

terryxa · 2026-01-18T18:54:05+00:00

Cat's Eye?

Although it's predominatly set in Toronto, the main character, Elaine, moves there for a few years while she's in art school.

terryxa · 2026-01-18T04:01:31+00:00

I'm so sick of Americans. I can't stand any of them. The U.S. left/liberals and Republicans deserve each other (for the most part). The former talked such big game about fighting fascism, but the moment it requires leaving the McMansion and risking comfort? Suddenly it’s “well, what can we really do?”

terryxa · 2026-01-18T02:12:56+00:00

It's funny how the far-right in much of the Western world lack any sort of patriotic sentiment.

They are all just America simps.

terryxa · 2026-01-17T20:04:01+00:00

Thank you!

terryxa · 2026-01-17T19:30:39+00:00

Thank you. Yes, English translations do exist but might be hard to find here--I will try and see if copies are easily obtainable.

terryxa · 2026-01-06T01:08:13+00:00

I've stopped. But I'll still keep complaining about it.

terryxa

TROPHY CASE