phatcatholic: Amateur Catholic

To the Amateur Catholic It May Concern,

I am requesting membership as a "Professional Amateur." I've been doing pro-bono apologetics online for 3 years now. It would actually kinda freak me out if I ever got paid for what I do. I am the Apologetics Director for Phatmass.com, which gets about 6 million hits a week, and is currently the #31-most visited website in the "Catholicism" category at Alexa.com. (Yea, as an Amateur, it is critical to piggy-back off of the success of others). I'm an admin for the "Fuzzy Bunny Crusade" (the word "Crusade" doesn't sound so harsh when you attach a fuzzy bunny to it). The FBC is basically a training ground for amateurs, where they can be in a group and practice apologetics on various protestant forums. I also have an apologetics blog, phatcatholic apologetics, where I post my debates against protestant amateurs (yea, protestants have amateurs too), as well as my amateur tracts, papers, and answers to questions amateurs have asked me about Catholicism throughout the years.

Ultimately, I try to as professional of an amateur as I can possibly be. I would be honored to be included in your amateur takover of the blogosphere.

Pax Christi,
phatcatholic (I'm too much of an amateur to capitalize my screenname)

...the word "Crusade" doesn't sound so harsh when you attach a fuzzy bunny to it...

I don't know about that... Watch this:



Oh, and welcome to the B-Team! Don't forget to add your badge.

Jeff Tan: Amateur Catholic

Hello, B-Team!

I've been blogging to myself for some time now, and it's time to spread my horrible blogging around. :-)

I'm a father of three, husband of one (whew!) Filipino (of Chinese descent) migrant to Australia. Does that make for interesting takes on western society? I don't know, but I can promise that I come up with weird ideas from time to time. Just ask my wife.

When I started the blog, I was all set to focus on my pet topic (back then), which was Christian Unity (hence the name of the blog). I've found out since then that it's sooooo easy to blog about other things too, and now I'm a confused wretch.

I also have a PhD in computer science, which so far amounts to practically nothing in apologetics value, but God got me here so there there has to be A Reason, right?

I'm also involved with the Catholics-on-Campus movement at Monash University, taking care of the website (which is functional but no great shakes) and hoping to get things started at one of the satellite campuses.

So.. am I in or do I have to grovel?

regards,

Jeff Tan
http://onebread.blogspot.com

No need for grovelling, Jeff, we're happy to have you. Welcome aboard!

Jen: Amateur Catholic

I'd like to be added to the amateur amateurs. My blog is
www.homeschoolblogger.com/greencastle .

Why I qualify: I'm catholic, and so far the only payment
I've gotten for it are the little inspirational booklets
they hand out to CCD teachers, and possibly one really good
pizza dinner, though there's debate about whether the
invitation was due to my being catholic or just my love of
pizza. Since of course the point of being catholic is not
the earthly rewards (good thing for me), I'm confident I'll
remain firmly in the amateur ranks for some time.

Also in my amateur credentials: I have met some people who
have met other B-team members. And, I don't know how to use
all the features on my blog yet. No risk mistaking me for a
professional blogger, that's certain.

Thanks,

Jennifer

No worries, Jen. Accepting free pizza and beer does not make you a professional, in fact, it is a spiritual work of mercy. See, when someone offers you free pizza and beer they are trying to live the Gospel message by performing a corporal work of mercy. If you turn them down it would be like denying them a chance to please God. By graciously accepting their generous gift, you are helping them get to Heaven, and since you're helping them get to Heaven you are helping yourself get to Heaven. So the more of their beer you drink, the more good you're doing both of you. Yeah, that's the ticket... :)

Welcome aboard and don't forget your B-Team badge.

Thomas: Amateur Catholic

Dear Amateur Catholics,

Would you like to add a male, college-aged charismatic convert from
Pentecostalism/Evangelicalism to your list of amatear bloggers? If so, I'm
your young man.

Raised non-religious, non-Catholic Christian from 14-21, public schools,
state college, new convert, infrequent blogger. How much more amateur could
I get?

My only redeeming quality as a Catholic blogger is my complete devotion to
the Church and my odd background added something somewhat unique to the
"universiality" of the Catholic faithful. So, it can, in the spirit of the
three theological virtues, be hoped that my blog, the Tiber Crosser, might
be somewhat interesting to someone, anyone, other than myself.

How 'bout it?

Thomas

http://tibercrosser.blogspot.com

Okay by me. Welcome home and welcome to the B-Team!

Esther: Amateur Catholic

Aloha:

My friend Tracy post a very nice entry on being a member of the B Team. Now I would like to join! I want to be almost cool too!

Let's see...I'm a SAHM of a 15 year old and we are homeschooling again. I love posting on my blog and reading other Catholic blogs. My favorites are the amusing ones. Heaven forbid I should make any money doing something I love, so I guess I qualify as an amateur.

Mahalo for considering me.

Esther
http://hicatholicmom.blogspot.com

Aloha Esther, welcome to the B-Team! Sorry it took so long getting this posted, but you have to remember that we're Amateurs too. ;)

Don't forget to get a badge for your sidebar.

CaeliDS: Amateur Catholic

Hi,

My name is ....., and my blog is The Catholic
Housewife, but nobody knows that. Seriously, my name
is not posted on the blog, and I intend to keep it
that way! But in an effort to be more widely known in
this excellent company, I am hungry for any
recognition that would lend some legitimacy to my
efforts.

I can only qualify for Amateur Amateur status, I'm
afraid. What I present is the humble view from the
dust and diapers standpoint, with a little
common-sense apologetics thrown in (for the sake of
the few family & friends who might check it out). I've
got over six months' worth of posts up, but my busy
life with two little kids keeps me from posting all I
want. Also, my woeful knowledge of HTML is almost six
years out of date, so my site'll never be *fancy* like
so many I've seen better done.

AND YET I KEEP DOING IT. Is it pride? A disordered
sense of ambition? A holy hand grenade of bloggical
proportions? I leave you to decide...

CaeliDS
a.k.a. The Catholic Housewife
http://www.catholichousewife.blogspot.com

I'm not sure what it is, CaeliDS, but I'm willing to bet it falls in the disordered category. You'll be right at home here. Welcome aboard!