Plug This: The Raving Theist

Our "Plug This" series is usually devoted to lesser-known figures in the Catholic blogosphere, but the subject of this installment won't have that problem for long. At least not right now.

http://ravingatheist.com/

When a prodigal son or daughter returns to the fold, or a non-believer is converted, it is said that the Angels and Saints in Heaven rejoice. By the same token, if you start a blog telling everybody you were a bunny-rabbit-sacrificing devil worshipper for umpteen years before seeing the Truth of the Catholic Faith (or something along those lines), you can get some serious mileage out of that episode. Not that there's anything wrong with that -- unless your cover is blown, of course.

In 2005, [enter name here] was featured in a documentary entitled The God Who Wasn't There. Then, in September of 2007, a blog entitled The Raving Atheist stopped posting. It became active again last month, and after a few entries which seemed to be dancing around the author's impending transformation, he came right out with it: "TODAY I DEDICATE THIS SITE AND MY LIFE TO THE WORSHIP AND SERVICE OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST."

He hasn't stopped explaining himself since.

Okay, it's only been two weeks. I'll admit there is cause for rejoicing. In fact, let's dedicate a song to this guy. Now, let's see, I left my old edition of "The Southern Harmony" lying around here somewhere, if I could only... ah, here it is. Okay, everybody ready??? A-one and a-two and a-three and a...

When converts first begin to sing,
   Wonder, wonder, wonder.
Their happy souls are on the wing,
   Glory, Hallelujah!
Their theme is all-redeeming love,
   Glory, Hallelujah!
Fain would they be with Christ above,
    Sing glory, hallelujah!

They wonder why old saints don't sing,
   Wonder, wonder, wonder.
And make God's earthly temples ring,
   Glory, hallelujah!
They view themselves upon the shore,
   Glory, hallelujah!
And think the battle all is o'er,
   Sing glory, hallelujah!

The Bible now appears so plain,
   Wonder, wonder, wonder.
They wonder they should read in vain,
   Glory, hallelujah!
The air is all perfumed with love,
   Glory, hallelujah!
And earth appears like heaven above.
   Sing glory, hallelujah! *

I just hope he doesn't blow it, because that would be sad.

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* "The Young Convert," from The Southern Harmony, as sung at the Harrod's Creek Shape Note Convention, Brownsboro KY, April 2008.
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