Ahem…
*COUGH COUGH*
Hello!
*COUGH*
As you might be aware, this blog came into existence towards the end of 2014!
Subsequently, things took an interesting turn. In addition to the comic blog, the podcast ‘Osteria der Vaticano’ was launched in 2021 (you can find it on Spotify).
Why did the blog come into being? So, now…
In my second year of high school (back in 2006), I had a literature teacher who was atheist and anti-clerical. He dedicated half of his lessons to discussing:
- the falsehood of Christianity;
- the assertion that Jesus never existed;
- the ‘ontological’ evil of the Catholic Church;
- historical events like the Inquisition, the Crusades, Galileo Galilei, and more.
During those years, I continued attending the parish…
…but I harbored doubts and questions (about God, my faith, Jesus, the meaning of life) that gnawed at me internally!
Unfortunately, I didn’t know anyone with a minimum level of knowledge and intellectual integrity to engage with regarding these questions…
…so, I stayed silent, bottled up my thoughts, and carried this burden within me, which continued to trouble me…
However fortunately (*), by the end of high school, I encountered a series of individuals (scattered across space and time), each more extraordinary than the last, who aided me – if not in finding answers to all my questions – at least in giving them a more meaningful direction…
(*) (someone in the control room is whispering me that luck doesn’t exist, and that ‘God writes straight with crooked lines’… could it be?)
And well… a few years later, what you find on this site came to fruition.
The blog (as well as the podcast and various social pages) serves as a platform for me to delve into these issues…
To honestly confront my uncertainties…
To attempt to articulate the findings of my intellectual explorations…
On the blog, you’ll discover numerous comic pages where I’ve documented attempts to address my inquiries:
- Who is Jesus?
- Did he truly exist?
- Are the Gospels reliable, or do they convey nonsense?
- Has the Church strayed from Jesus’s teachings?
- Is faith reasonable? Does it conflict with reason?
- If God is good, why is there evil in the world?
- What about Galileo Galilei?
- What about the Big Bang?
- What about the Spanish Inquisition?
[[ But now we arrive at the moment when I stroll with my hat among the assembly, wearing a bemused expression ]]
Would you be willing to lend me a hand? 🙃
If what I contribute is valuable to you in any way, there’s a way you can assist me in enhancing it: by treating me to a coffee each month!
If you visit this link:
…you have the opportunity (with just a few clicks) to offer me a little support to keep the momentum going…
The work on the blog (texts, comics, software maintenance, etc.) and the podcast (scripts, editing) is something I do in my spare time, all by myself…
But, God willing, and with your help, I’d love to turn it into something more serious.
What more can I offer to those who back me?
So…
To be frank, the response to this question is: ‘very little’ (although these are all ‘Paradise Points,’ redeemable later… St. Peter will explain it better then…).
What I do (on the blog, the podcast, etc.) is free and will always be available to everyone.
And when I say “everyone”… I mean absolutely everyone:
- the broke student;
- the mom listening to the podcast while picking up her kids from soccer;
- the person who glances at the blog once in a blue moon;
- the one who never misses a comic or a podcast episode;
- the Sunday Christian;
- the atheist who doesn’t believe in God and never will;
- the agnostic wondering if it’s all worth it…
But…
But…
But…
…I wanted to express gratitude to the people making this possible and supporting me through Donorbox…
…so…
…all individuals providing a monthly donation (of any amount) will gain access to Salesalato’s private channel on Telegram…
…a.k.a….
…Salesalato’s Upside Down…
…Salesalato’s Valinor…
…Salesalato’s Room of Requirement…
What can you find on the private Telegram channel?
To begin with:
⭐️ You’ll get to take part in polls to choose the next comic pages that’ll come out on the blog (and, as a result, the next podcast episodes)!
Plus, every time:
⭐️ I read an interesting snippet from a book
⭐️ I come across an inspiring YouTube video
⭐️ I dive into the Bible and find something beautiful
⭐️ I watch a movie or TV series with subtle Christian references
…in short, whenever I stumble upon something salty in the vast sea of modern culture — where God’s been shown the door (but, as usual, He sneaks back in through the window) — I’ll send you on the chat:
⭐️ a link
⭐️ a quote (with the bibliographic reference)
⭐️ an audio note
⭐️ a smoke signal
⭐️ a carrier pigeon
Basically…
…this chat gives you a bit of a behind-the-scenes look at all the stuff I bombard you with in the blog’s comics, the podcast, and on Instagram…
…
…that’s it…
…that’s all, folks…
…thanks for your attention! 🙃
Postscript: Every now and then, I get some very generous one-time donations on Donorbox… while these make me happy, they unfortunately don’t help me plan for the medium or long term…
…but the folks who support me with just a euro a month allow me to “look up” and make bigger decisions… for example: the chance to ask for part-time hours at work, so I can pour my best energy into Salesalato stuff, instead of the (sleepy) scraps of time I squeeze in now, amidst a thousand other messes…
In short, without digging into your wallets: you make me much happier with steady little crumbs (even microscopic ones) rather than hitting me with a massive one-off donation that doesn’t let me plan for the future!
Thanks! 🤗