I’m not sure why I just noticed this, but I suppose #6 represents some kind of a memorable milestone for this blog. Still, it would have been a lot cooler had the Owen White who was the old-school Ochlophobist of c. 3-4 years ago made fun of me, rather than the totally-over-Orthodoxy-and-if-I’m-not-going-to-go-to-church-anyway-I-may-as-well-not-go-to-the-Catholic-church-rather-than-not-go-to-the-Orthodox-church, “post-Ochlophobist” Owen. If I’d gotten a “Happydoxy” snipe or something like that, then that would have been major street cred, man.
I must offer a slight correction on a couple of points, however. I’m only an ex-Evangelical insofar as my mother took me to Overlake Christian Church as a child; I haven’t gone there regularly since I was 13 and at all since I was 16. To the extent that I’m ex-anything I’m an ex-Anglican. I won’t bother offering drinking and swearing bona fides to Owen, but he’s welcome to find out for himself whether or not I struggle to get through two beers should he ever come through Bloomington. I highly doubt this will ever happen for two reasons: 1) The drive between Memphis and Bloomington is awful and long under the best of circumstances, and there’s no reason to pass by Bloomington on any sane route out of Memphis unless Bloomington is exactly where you’re going, and I can’t imagine Owen ever actually wanting to come to Bloomington. 2) The only decent beer in Bloomington is from one of two microbreweries or specialty grocery stores, and surely there’s nothing more distastefully bourgeois than either of those. I could offer him a homebrew, except that I expect that a humanities grad student who homebrews is the only thing that could possibly be more bourgeois than a microbrewery.
I will note that Owen knows full well I agree with him on his criticisms of outward religious affectation in Orthodox converts, and that I’m neither the kind of guy to sign my e-mails “A sinner,” or to refer to myself as “Reader Richard”, so I have to conclude that he’s making fun of me specifically so he can refer traffic my way — in which case, thanks much! I do find it amusing that one of his busier admiring commenters now that he’s Catholic again is somebody who is one of the more notoriously argumentative anti-Orthodox online personalities out there, and who four years ago shrieked to me in an e-mail about how virulently and shamefully anti-Catholic he was, and how that was representative of most Orthodox bloggers. Maybe Owen will turn into the Catholic equivalent of… well, perhaps you already know who I mean without me saying the name, and I’d like to keep it that way, lest they appear.
Leitourgeia kai Qurbana: Contra den Zeitgeist 
If you’re talking about Diane as “one of the more notoriously argumentative anti-Orthodox online personalities out ther.” then you’re probably wrong. I’ve seen her most of the time on Eirenikon blog defending the Catholic Church against EO polemics, but not attacking Orthodoxy, otherwise please provide documentation of her attacks on Orthodoxy.
I decline to identify the person further, but it’s interesting that that’s immediately who you came up with based on what I said. People who know what I mean know what I mean, and I will leave it at that.
well its not that hard to figure out it is her that you meant,i mean its only 2 other people commenting on that blog, lol. don’t even know her personally except for 1 or 2 exchanges at eirenikon, thought you attack on her was unfair, thats all.
The person I’m thinking of has a history far more involved than recent activity at Eirenikon. As I said, I decline to identify the person further.
Congratulations! Well, kinda…I would say that to be read and criticized by the former Ochlophobist was a accomplishment but, if it helps your humility, he pretty much criticizes everything so I guess you are not so exceptional. 😉
Dixie – The Queen of “Happydoxy”
The post that immediately spurred on #6 was http://benedictseraphim.wordpress.com/2011/05/19/on-being-newly-received-into-the-orthodox-church/ , but sure….
We don’t drive through St. Louis usually when going up to WI, but rather take 57 up to Urbana and then cross over to Bloomington/Normal and then northward from there. I pass through that way perhaps 6 times (twice each trip) a year on average. But you’re correct on the yet another Christian grad student who homebrews bit. Cheers.
You also linked to me, so there you have it.
Bloomington, IL isn’t where I am. I’m in Bloomington, IN. I’ve driven between Bloomington, IN and Memphis, and there’s no sane reason to do unless one of those two places is exactly where you’re going.
Good thing that the boxes people fit into allow you to deal with boxes and not people. So much easier that way. But hey, think what you like. You will anyway.
Well, you did pick up where BS left off…
Oops, wrong state.
Yes, boxes, that’s it. Clever.
I can only work with the materials I’m given.