Politics, Culture Wars, Relationships
Thoughts about Sluts
by Clay Staggs
Boy, has there been a lot of ink spilled and pixels devoted to Rush Limbaugh calling Sandra Fluke a slut. In case you've been in a cave the last two weeks, he did so based on Fluke's testimony before Congress, which I discussed here.
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Politics, Culture Wars
Paying for Law Students’ Birth Control
by Clay Staggs
If you have any question about just how far American culture has fallen, then boy do I have a video that will tell you all you need to know.
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General Theology, Culture Wars, Faith and Science, Global Christianity, Bible Passage
Is Dawkins Cracking?
by Clay Staggs
Richard Dawkins, probably the world's most prominent atheist (at least til now?) seems to be hedging his bets a little. Check out this report from the UK Telegraph from a debate between Dawkins and the Archbishop of Canterbury. Hmmmmmm:
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Politics, Culture Wars
Carrie Nation at the Centers for Disease Control
by Clay Staggs
Binge drinking is a problem, right? I mean, who's going to dispute that? But how widespread is this problem? Well, according to a new study by the federal government's Centers for Disease Control (your tax dollars at work), over 17% of US adults binge drink, and the average …
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Politics, Culture Wars, Children
Presidential Views on Roe, or, Abort Your Way to Equality
by Clay Staggs
Roe v. Wade is turning 39 years old, so President Obama decided to comment. It was pretty much what you'd expect from a pro-choice Democrat, and you can read it all here. What is truly remarkable in the statement is this little gem here:
And as we remember this …
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Family, Culture Wars, Global Christianity
on the Christian calendar, yet again
by Peggy Drinkard
The following excellent article expresses what my heart has hinted at but not formulated nearly as well on why the Christian calendar is important.
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Culture Wars
Say what?
by Jeff Miller
We have been talking in Book Group about the difficulties involved when Christianity is used by any institution other than the church. The “Occupants” of protest fame have begun to use the name of Christ in their cause……
A transcript from the Occupy NYC website….
“Communism failed absolutely. But the …
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Culture Wars
A Beautiful Form of Christianity
by Tim Lien
I often read columns from McSweeney’s. The writing is usually off-beat, thoughtful, funny, and well-crafted.
Naturally, my curiosity was piqued when one of their contest finalists’s work (Assimilate Or Go Home: Dispatches from the Stateless Wanderers) was described as “a beautiful form of Christianity.” I’m always just …
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Culture Wars
“A Slow Motion Humanitarian Disaster”
by Tim Lien
Joe Biden approves. Of China’s one-child policy, that is. The UN assisted with massive abortion initiatives, killing many babies in the 8th month of pregnancy— acts which even made the killers admit its overreach.
Read The Weekly Standard article here.
The result? A society unstable on a myriad of …
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Culture Wars
Warren Buffett is a Hypocrite
by Clay Staggs
There, I said it. I can’t stand it any longer. Lord knows the man is a savvier investor than I will ever be, but his latest political missive delivered on the pages of the New York Times and entitled “Stop Coddling the Super Rich” just pushed me to the …
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Culture Wars
We Believe in Reason! (Until We Don’t)
by Tim Lien
Talk to any semi-educated humanist, and they will lead you to believe that they have a domineering market share on cold-logic, reasonableness (not a word?, ok.) Let reason be the guiding rule. Let logic and rationalitiy be the beacon to light the way. “I’m interested,” says the reasonable Calvinist …
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Culture Wars
God Complex
by Tim Lien
Do you remember that scene in Schindler’s list?
The one where Schindler tries to convince the deranged commandant from shooting Jews indiscriminately? Schindler tries to appeal to his power-God-complex, by telling him (paraphrased) that it exudes more power to have mercy on someone and let them go, because that …
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Culture Wars
Feminist Angst
by Clay Staggs
Here’s an absolutely fascinating article on feminist moms who are upset that their teenage daughters act slutty.
For me, the moms’ logic was a little hard to follow. They want their daughters to be “liberated” from their traditional roles as the “objects” of men, especially in the context of …
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Culture Wars
Exorcising AC
by Clay Staggs
I think that it’s fairly indisputable that extreme environmentalists treat their environmentalism with religious fervor. I believe that for many environmentalists it IS their religion. And, like other religions, environmentalism has its demons that need to be exorcised. Apparently, the newest demon is our air conditioning.
Yes, you see …
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Culture Wars
We Win!
by Jimmy Hopper
Years after the announcement of victory in Iraq, we have finally won the country. Yesterday on NPR there was a feature on a growth industry in Iraq. It seems that cosmetic surgery is booming. One doctor interviewed said that he had performed 1,400 “nose jobs” in the past few …
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Culture Wars
Review of Lost Finale, or, Was that IT?
by Clay Staggs
OK, spoiler alert! Spoiler alert!! If you haven’t seen it, then stop reading now.
With that out of the way, I’ve been thinking a lot about where the Lost writers ended their series. I have come to the conclusion that it is the absolute apex of postmodern relativism …
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Culture Wars
What’s Wrong With Education
by Clay Staggs
A couple of quick hits this morning to encapsulate what’s wrong with our education system. What’s worrysome about these three things is not so much their existence as the abject lack of any strategy by anyone in power to actually do anything about it. The only solution that …
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Culture Wars
Research NOW Reveals?
by Clay Staggs
Bill Cosby has defined an intellectual as someone who studies something that happens naturally. The folks who did this study, then, are definitely intellectuals:
Watching a curvaceous woman can feel like a reward in the brain of men, much as drinking alcohol or taking drugs might, research now reveals.
These …
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Culture Wars
UAH and the Ivy League Mentality
by Clay Staggs
Interesting kerfuffle in the commentary over Amy Bishop, the professor turned shooter in Huntsville:
“You have to talk about Amy Bishop’s mental health in this situation as one of the variables, but being denied tenure when you’re in your mid-40s at an out-of-the-way obscure rural campus in the …
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Culture Wars
Toyland
by Peggy Drinkard
I perused a toy catalogue that came in my mail from a large chain…wondering what’s popular with kids now. No real surprises, thankfully. The usual fare. What bothered me was the “take” on boys’ toys vs. girls’ toys. The girls’ lead page … and I quote: “she already thinks …
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Culture Wars
Which is Worse?
by Clay Staggs
From the information available about the Fort Hood shooter, Nadal Malik Hasan, it seems as though he was an adherent of radical, jihadist Islam. This morning, there are stories coming out that the Army may have missed (ignored?) some pretty important warning signs:
Law enforcement officials also faced questions about …
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Culture Wars
An Update on Levi
by Clay Staggs
The timing on this could not be better. In my earlier post, Proof, I updated the career progress of Levi Johnston, the father of Sarah Palin’s grandchild. Well, as if on cue, today there is another career update: Levi is going to pose nude for the November issue of …
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Culture Wars
Proof
by Clay Staggs
I propose this as yet more proof of the depravity of mankind. It has been posited that there is no such thing as bad publicity. I think the fact that this is so demonstrably true can only reinforce our reformed view of human nature.
Today’s proof: the case of …
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Culture Wars
Is this “news” or what?
by Peggy Drinkard
I find it maddeningly frustrating to try to read a “news article” as opposed to a commentary, and find that it is, in fact, an editorial or commentary, disguised as an article….or perhaps the lines have become so skewed the writers don’t realize the difference anymore. Here’s …
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Culture Wars
Post-Evangelical Posters
by Tim Lien
Some of these are funny.
I think many new Reformed believers misunderstand what is really behind “neo-calvinism.” Oddly enough, it’s NOT about the beer, it’s about the glory of God.
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Culture Wars
us versus them?
by Peggy Drinkard
Note the contrast here on an article in the news about this week’s solar ecliipse:
Indian astrologers are predicting violence and turmoil across the world as a result of this week’s total solar eclipse, which the superstitious and religious view as a sign of potential doom
BUT...
astronomers …
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Culture Wars
Carrie Nation in New Jersey
by Clay Staggs
You know, sometimes an organization outlives its usefulness. MADD is one of those organizations. Everyone everywhere has gotten their point, agreed with them, and changed laws and enforcement practices. Rather than deeming their efforts successful and disbanding, they’ve morphed into the neo-prohibitionist ninnies that now just annoy everybody.
That …
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Culture Wars
The Inevitable Michael Jackson Post
by Clay Staggs
You knew that somebody was going to do it, so why not me?
We’ve all heard about Michael Jackson’s death. The gruesome details are really leaking out in the UK papers. It runs the gamut, too: from the ex-nanny who says she pumped his stomach on more than …
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Culture Wars
Keeping our children in tune with the times…
by Jimmy Hopper
I noticed in the NY Times Book Review section that there was a new children’s book out. It is a retelling of the Paul Bunyan legend and tells the story of Paula Bunyan, Paul’s sister. The story is cited as “green and feminist.” However Paula is described as …
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Culture Wars
“Just Another Day”
by Clay Staggs
In case anyone reading this is not convinced that Western Civilization is doomed, this will do the trick:
HT: Travis Wisdom
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Culture Wars
schizophrenia in America
by Peggy Drinkard
One of Webster’s definitions for schizophrenia is “the presense of mutually contradictory or antagonistic parts or qualities.” Francis Shaeffer used the word to describe American culture. This came home to me when I heard on yesterday’s news about the ” international manhunt” mounted to track down a woman and …
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Culture Wars
An Open Letter About The Gourmet Beer Bill
by Clay Staggs
Following is the text of a letter I sent this morning to Senator Hank Erwin:
Senator Erwin,
It was with great dismay that I read this week that you led an attempt to filibuster the Free the Hops/Gourmet Beer Bill.
I am dismayed, as a fellow Christian, Republican, and …
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Culture Wars
File under: the Dis-United Kingdom
by Jeff Miller
Interesting article about the loss of religion from British life and some who are trying to fight the current cultural trends from with the church.
The story is here.
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Culture Wars
I Didn’t See That One Coming
by Tim Lien
I had heard that Catcher in the Rye was banned at one time. Same goes for some Intelligent Design references in textbooks. And you probably read about the parents all aflutter in Salt Lake about a Twilight book that inferred possibly sexual activity on a honeymoon. Imagine insinuating that married …
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Culture Wars
Echoes from 1940
by Tim Lien
Against the wishes of my wife (she wanted me to relax), I cuddled up with Saul Friedlander’s The Extermination Years: 1939-1945 over Christmas. It’s a detailed chronology of the persistent, organized, and relentless Nazi machine— depicted through thousands of original journal entries. Yes, a holly jolly Christmas. I …
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Culture Wars
The Limits of Christian Charity
by Tim Lien
When the public doesn’t like something, does that make it right? There is a pastor who is housing a convicted child-killer for two months. The community hates that idea. Story, here.
Parallel issue: If the public is infuriated by the AIG bonuses, should they renege on a contractual obligation …
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Culture Wars
New Calvinism: Like the Old Kind, But Like, Now
by Tim Lien
Hey, Calvinism is trending. In fact it just made TIME magazine’s top-ten list of ideas that are changing the world right now in ‘09. It even made the top three.
TIME explains New Calvinism to the masses.
Thanks to Seth McBee at Contend Earnestly.
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Culture Wars
Not Where You’re Buried, But Where You Rise
by Tim Lien
“So there’s this prostitue and John Calvin….”
Sounds like the beginning of a locker-room joke. 500 years after he dies and John Calvin is literally lying in the middle of another controversy. There seems to be some commotion over in Geneva about an ex-prostitute (who sought better rights for …
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Culture Wars
Bailouts - no end in sight
by Peggy Drinkard
I don’t know much about the science of economics, but I do know that when money is spent somewhere it has to come from somewhere else. When I see that President Obama is now going to help people who may be facing foreclosure on their homes, I know that …
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Culture Wars
Western Civilization Officially Doomed
by Clay Staggs
Read and weep.
“Rival iPhone Developers Bicker Over ‘Pull My Finger’”
Not just bicker, but - naturally - file a federal lawsuit.
Sigh.
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Culture Wars
OctoMom and Rick Warren
by Tim Lien
New OctoMom, Nadya Suleman, and Rick Warren now have the same agent. They are now both represented by Ambassador Agency, Inc. owned by Wes Yoder. They call themselves a “Christian-based talent agency.”
It’s all here.
An agent, Rick? Really? Has something gone awry in Christendom? Or is this just …
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Culture Wars
Academic Shocker:Muslims Not Routinely Lynched in Arab, Alabama
by Clay Staggs
I realize that the South is not exactly the poster child for race relations. That said, it never ceases to amaze me what non-Southerners expect that they will find when they come to the South. Case in point: a Muslim academic, Akbar Ahmed, who teaches at the American University in …
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Culture Wars
On Presidents and Saviors…
by Jimmy Hopper
The latest copy of Credenda Agenda arrived in the mail yesterday. One of the first things I look at is the “Cave of Adullam,” a compendium of ridiculous events, and events ridiculing ridiculous events, that occur in our post-modern culture. One of the items in this issue follows: A recent …
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Culture Wars
I’ll Drink To That, or, Carrie Nation: Tightwad
by Clay Staggs
According to an article in Forbes, people who are moderate drinkers give more to charities than do teetotalers. Not only that, but drinkers are generally happier and earn more money, even when you control for factors such as income. Read the whole story here, but here’s the bottom line …
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Culture Wars
Humanely Inspired, Divinely Orchestrated
by Tim Lien
Max Mitchell is working on the “Princess Diana Bible.” Why name it after her? “Because she has done so many good works,” Max says. You may know Max from his upcoming movie, “Horror in the Wind,” where an airborne substance reverses the world’s sexual orientation. Ok, maybe you haven …
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Culture Wars
VDH’s 10 Worst List
by Clay Staggs
Victor Davis Hanson is a professor of classics and history at Stanford. He regularly contributes to National Review and other conservative-leaning publications. I enjoy his writing and recommend it highly.
This morning I ran across an article of his that could fairly be described as a list of the 10 …
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Culture Wars
How Much is Enough?
by Jimmy Hopper
Last week I picked up the morning paper and read that Mark Cuban, perhaps best known as the volatile owner of the NBA Dallas Mavericks, had been indicted for insider trading by the Securties and Exchange commission. He sold shares of a company prior to its public offering supposedly based …
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Culture Wars
I’m a Little Late to the Party
by Tim Lien
Where were all my posts pre-Election 2008?
As I have said before, I purposely declined to enter the fray, because I was less concerned about the outcome of the elections and more concerned about what people were believing and saying.
John Piper has a fantastic little clip where he discusses …
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Culture Wars
GOD TV: The Pre-Election Montage
by Tim Lien
There is almost too much here: (How’s that for a channel name, by the way? Presumptuous?)
But, again, you can see the dangerous conclusions that people make when they begin with the erroneous assumption that America=the people of God. Lou Engle, perhaps, is the most passionate when he …
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Culture Wars
Wild Man Wildmon
by Tim Lien
The Pre-Election Rhetoric Accountability Forum continues:
Perhaps you received this impassioned plea from the desk of Don Wildmon, president of the American Family Association (AFA), during the month of October: Its contents, below:
Please vote! Our children’s future depends on it! In my 70 years, I have never seen …
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Culture Wars
Now That the Dust Is Settling
by Tim Lien
The impassioned rhetoric this election season was nauseating. And I’m not talking about the candidates or their handlers. The Christian Right supplied enough portions for every American to have second and third helpings. I purposely laid a low profile during these heated exchanges, but now that we have seen …
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Culture Wars
God is on the bus, whether you acknowledge Him or not
by Jeff Miller
Dana found this today & blogged about it. I had to repost it on the RB.
London’s red buses will soon have ads on them. Read this article for the full effect.
A few highlights:
“Organizers of a campaign to raise money for the ads said Wednesday they received more …
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Culture Wars
Great thoughts on Gresham Machen’s Christianity and Liberalism
by Eric Venable
So I was just reading a review by Carl Trueman, a British church history prof. at Westminster Seminary in Philadelphia. (read anything you can get your hands on by Carl Trueman. He’s a lot of fun to read due to his brilliance, clarity and characteristic British wit that drips …
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Culture Wars
Lifeway Porn
by Tim Lien
This month’s issue of Gospel Today features 5 female pastors on its cover. Lifeway Christian Bookstores (a non-profit branch of the Southern Baptist Convention) made a decision to place the magazine out of sight and sell it upon request, only— due to their official stance that women cannot be …
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Culture Wars
And Everything Was Great Before Then
by Tim Lien
Before I get into it, â??9/11â? was a horrible, awful, and grievous event. I believe that.
At the somber ceremonies yesterday, NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg said:
Today marks the seventh anniversary of the day our world was broken. It lives forever in our hearts and our history, a …
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Culture Wars
Jesus - Community Organizer??
by Clay Staggs
This is really unbelievable. Watch this:
Everyone who’s even a casual reader of this blog knows how much I love watching political drama. This, however, is going completely off the rails. I know nothing of Rep. Cohen, whether he claims to be a Christian or not. If he does …
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Culture Wars
They’re Grrrrrrreat!
by Clay Staggs
Perhaps the only thing that grates on my nerves more than the Carrie Nation types are the food police - you know, those folks that are desperately afraid that somebody, somewhere is enjoying their food. Now, I don’t want anyone to hear what I’m not saying. I don’t …
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Culture Wars
Taking On Carrie Nation
by Clay Staggs
This really came as something of a shock to me. Apparently a group of presidents of some prominent universities have dared to suggest that the drinking age be LOWERED back to 18. Read the whole story here.
The group makes what I consider to be the blazingly obvious point that …
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Culture Wars
It’s Official: Obama is NOT the Antichrist
by Clay Staggs
So say Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins. Read it here. (HT: HotAir)
And, since they say so, it must be true, right? I mean, who else can you really rely on to identify the Antichrist?
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Culture Wars
Celebrating Eid in Tennessee
by Clay Staggs
Ran across this headline on the web a few days ago:
Workers at a Tyson Foods poultry processing plant in Tennessee have opted to trade a paid Labor Day holiday for the Muslim celebration of Eid al-Fitr.
The full story is available here.
I have reread this thing several times …
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Culture Wars
The Face of Christianity
by Jimmy Hopper
I have always (since I became a Christian) been jealous of the name of Christ and concerned when His Church is put , or puts itself, in a bad light before the world. I recently posted about this, particularly the use of the term “evangelical”, to describe Christianinty and the attempt …
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Culture Wars
“The Only Way To Make Sure It’s Pure”
by Clay Staggs
That quote is from none other than the Director of Greening for the upcoming Democrat Convention in Denver, Andrea Robinson. What’s she talking about? I’m glad you asked.
She’s referring to the 900 volunteers who will be stationed at all of the garbage disposal stations to be …
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Culture Wars
Living on BorrowedStolen Time
by Clay Staggs
Bryan Bond told me one time that human beings were created to worship, and if they’re not worshiping God, they’ll find something else to take His place. Nowhere is that statement more true than when applied to the environmentalist movement.
Rush Limbaugh says that it’s the new …
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Culture Wars
On Being “Evangelical” in America….
by Jimmy Hopper
I have been, for several years now, one of those Christians who, despite being actually and totally evangelical in the classic sense, have become very nervous about being labeled “evangelical.” It is my belief that the term has been perhaps irremediably ruined when it became a political and cultural catchword …
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Culture Wars
Showering with John Edwards
by Clay Staggs
There are two phenomena at work in America right now that are so inwardly destructive that I’m not sure the republic can survive them. The first is our modern higher education system. The other is the environmentalist movement. Apparently the two have merged with frightening results at Oberlin College …
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Culture Wars
Virtually Useless
by Tim Lien
The online game Second Life is an amazing phenomenon. Over 6 million users pay a monthly fee to participate in a virtual life. Second Life is pretty much like the computer game SIMS, although every character represents another real human across the globe. So, in other words, if real life …
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Culture Wars
Please Pass Me A Compostable Napkin
by Clay Staggs
You know, since the Democrats are the odds-on favorite to be rulers of the political universe for the next four years, everyone might as well know what were in for.
At a recent campaign speech, Sen. Obama offered up this gem:
“We can’t drive our SUVs and eat as …
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Culture Wars
“Jesus Made Me Puke”
by Tim Lien
That’s the title of an article by Matt Taibbi, appearing in Rolling Stone recently. (RS, May 1, 2008). It is an adaptation of his forthcoming book, The Great Derangement, (Random House).
The premise is this: Matt “infiltrates” (Degree of difficulty, judges? 1.5 out of 100) John Hagee’s …
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Culture Wars
Idiot Celebreties, Part XXXVIII
by Clay Staggs
I never, ever thought I would find the occasion to link this blog’s readers to anything on the Access Hollywood website. And yet…..
Harrison Ford, of Indiana Jones, Jack Ryan, and Han Solo fame, has had his chest waxed to protest deforestation. You can read the whole sorry thing …
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Culture Wars
A Bitter Pill
by Clay Staggs
I guess everyone has heard by now the quote from Barack Obama during his recent fundraiser in San Francisco. But, for the benefit of those who may have been cut off from civilization the past week, here it is:
You go into these small towns in Pennsylvania and, like a …
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Culture Wars
Different Flavors of Fanaticism
by Matt Tootle
I recently received a link to a video that is circulating on the internet. It is a fairly long video, about 16 minutes, and it is creatively produced and thought provoking. The main point of the video is to highlight the violence propagated by the Qur’an and the devoted …
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Culture Wars
Fish v. Fish
by Tim Lien
Jonah Goldberg had an Op-Ed in the LA Times this morning, with an interesting premise. Let me just give you the title and sub-title: “Evolution of Religious Bigotry: The cowardice and intolerance of slapping a Darwin fish on your car bumper.”
Click your way there, here.
An interesting excerpt:
As …
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Culture Wars
Revising the Bible, Part Deux
by Tim Lien
Warning: The following will most likely offend somebody. Even my wife has her reservations about this idea. She tells me I must â??lighten-up.â? (I had her permission to write those two lines). But my intent is not to make anybody mad, defensive, or destroy any DVDs. I simply …
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Culture Wars
A Less Boring Bible
by Tim Lien
An Anglican vicar, the right Reverend Robert Harrison has just released his new book, Must Know Stories. He retells all of the major biblical stories while updating them “to create more interest.” Goliath is now a drunk, and Eve is now a sex-crazed man-eater. You can read all about it …
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Culture Wars
The Liberal Conservative
by Tim Lien
In George Will’s column today he offers up some fascinating data. (Washington Post, March 27, 2008, “Conservatives More Liberal Givers”) You can read it in its entirety here:
Here are some tidbits:
â?¢ “Although liberal families’ incomes average 6 percent higher than those of conservative families, conservative-headed households give …
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Culture Wars
Sin Gets an Extreme Makeover
by Tim Lien
Unconvinced of the prevalence of good old-fashioned sin, the Vatican has released its new beta-model of The Seven Deadly Sins. Apparently, these new 7 are even deadlier due to the spectre of globalization: The article is here:
For your convenience, I’ve summarized the changes below. Discussion point: Don’t …
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Culture Wars
More on American Victimhood
by Jimmy Hopper
About three weeks ago, I posted on the current desire/need to be a victim in modern American culture. I ran across a quote today from Tim Rutten in the LA TImes that I consider profound:
â??In the United States and, increasingly, in parts of Western Europe, the only …
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Culture Wars
A Case to Watch
by Clay Staggs
The modern day left LOATHES homeschooling. Kimberly and I have started watching Boston Legal, which I probably shouldn’t be confessing here, but nonetheless, we’ve noticed that every time they portray homeschoolers, it’s done in a way to paint the homeschoolers as kooks, weirdos, subversives, or even criminals …
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Culture Wars
“The Age of Unreason”
by Jimmy Hopper
The title of this blog entry is also the title of a new book just out by Susan Jacoby that speaks to the prevalence of anti-intellctualism in America today. Or maybe I should just say “In the Western World,” given Jeff Miller’s post on the London Mail survey below …
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Culture Wars
You and the Internet
by Jimmy Hopper
A new book, Against the Machine, by Lee Siegel, attempts to describe the effect of the internet on American culture. The New Your Times review can be found here.
Suffice it to say that Siegel doesn’t care for the Internet, and he warns you that if you sit in …
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Culture Wars
“The Pee-Wee-Hermanization of the American Male”
by Clay Staggs
It’s not often that I have the occasion to link one of Tim’s sermons with fashion trends, but I think this qualifies.
Check out this offering from Brooks Brothers (yes, Brooks Brothers!) and this one.
Glenn Reynolds calls it the “Pee-Wee-Hermanization of the American male,” and I think …
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Culture Wars
Christians Demand Peace on Earth Through Economic Force
by Tim Lien
Apparently, All Good Christian Men/Women should not be shopping at Gap, Kohls, Bloomingdales, and Marshalls this year. Why? Article here. In other news, if you can’t find me, I’ll be in the Gap.
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Culture Wars
Religion in the ‘08 Race
by Clay Staggs
I’ve been blogging a lot lately about the ‘08 race, especially on the Republican side. Since my last entry, though, two really interesting developments have taken place that involve religion’s role in politics.
The first is Mitt Romney’s speech on the role of religious freedoms in the …
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Culture Wars
The Archbishop in the Glass House
by Clay Staggs
I’ve frequently bemoaned the sorry state of the Episcopal Church USA. The Church of England is apparently even worse off, if the recent comments of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, are any indication.
The Archbishop recently gave an interview to Emel, which is described as a “muslim lifestyle …
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Culture Wars
Why Everybody Hates Lawyers
by Clay Staggs
It’s for idiotic stuff like this. NOTE: This link is probably better for adults only (especially the comment threads, some of which are really funny, though).
Ordinary humans (i.e., non-lawyers) probably can’t imagine either 1) having an argument over what falls within such a definition or 2 …
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Oslo Syndrome
by Clay Staggs
So I got up this morning and saw the news that Al Gore had actually won the Nobel Peace Prize. Perusing a sampling of reaction on the internet, I think that the President of the Czech Republic, Vaclav Klaus, hit the nail on the head:
“The relationship between his activities …
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Culture Wars
Making the Wrong Point
by Tim Lien
An article written by Alan Fram (“One in Four Read No Books Last Year,” AP), was printed in many newspapers on August 21, 2007. The Washington Post purchased it and printed it, as did many other papers. You can find the online version here.
As a great reader and a …
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Culture Wars
“Don’t Tase Me, Bro”
by Clay Staggs
Sometimes it’s hard to know if I’ve just become too jaded and cynical, or whether American culture has completely gone down the drain.
In the news recently was the story of this college student at the University of Florida who went to a forum where Sen. Kerry was …
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Culture Wars
If The City Planners Don’t Get You, PETA Will, or, Hands Off My Big Mac
by Clay Staggs
The Puritans (and modern day political conservatives too) have been accused of being deathly afraid that someone, somewhere was having fun. Today, undoubtedly, that distinction belongs to the political left.
I ran across a couple of stories today about food. PETA is unhappy with Al Gore for eating meat. Why …
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Culture Wars
Carrie Nation in San Diego
by Clay Staggs
So I guess everyone has heard about the brouhaha on the beach in San Diego over the holiday weekend. In case you missed it, a fight on the beach escalated to the point where the police had to be called in. Read all about it here.
And guess what’s …
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Culture Wars
Getting Naked to Save the Glaciers
by Clay Staggs
No, that wasn’t a typo. And, yes, this is going to be as blazingly stupid as the title suggests. In fact, when trying to categorize this entry, I was sorely tempted to create a new category called “Too Dumb to Believe.” Honestly, sometimes I read real news stories and …
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Culture Wars
Emergency Clergy
by Tim Lien
A friend of mine (thanks Drew Kay) sent me these links:
Clergy Response Teams are being formed to help the government if martial law is declared. Read about it here and here.
Is there really a conspiracy or is this harmless? Did Tim LaHaye predict this?
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Culture Wars
Celebrities
by Jimmy Hopper
Last night I discovered the perfect answer to the celebrity idea that they, because they are famous, attractive and rich, have all the answers to all political and social ills. The answer lies in two words: CELEBRITY JEOPARDY. Despite the softballs lobbed up and categories designed for their specialties (i …
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Culture Wars
Soak up the Sun
by Clay Staggs
We return again today to a perennial favorite on this blog - the battle between wacko environmentalists and the rest of us. Be warned: this one is ridiculous even by the already-low standards of the debate on this issue.
We humans have now been accused of being too greedy for the …
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Culture Wars
Overated Freedom
by Peggy Drinkard
iIn the “Reflections” section of our church bulletin yesterday there was a thoughtful meditation on the emptiness of “freedom” as it is popularly conceived….the notion of no responsibilities, no commitment, no debts to anyone, just free-floating through life. The pursuit of such freedom seems to be tauted today as …
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Culture Wars
“Nothing new under the sun….”
by Jimmy Hopper
Ecclesiastes 1:9 says the following: “That which has been is what will be; that which is done is what will be done, and there is nothing new under the sun.’ While reading Henry Morton Stanley’s (“Dr. Livingston, I presume”) memoir of his explorations in equatorial Africa in the …
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Culture Wars
Christianity and Country
by Jimmy Hopper
As the 4th of July approached, I saw again church signs and even billboards that indicated that the worship of God in certain churches has been changed to a “patrotic celebration” advertising all the fervor for country associated with that particular endeavor. Last Saturday, I read an editorial column in …
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Culture Wars
A New Breed?
by Jimmy Hopper
Some of you have already read this since I sent the link out earlier but I thought it would be good to put it on the Riverblog since, as someone noted below, we’ve discussed the state of Christiandom quite a bit here. If you have e-mailed me with a …
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Culture Wars
Epicurus, Diogenes, Cynic, and Jerry Falwell
by Tim Lien
apâ?¢roâ?¢pos 1 : at an opportune time 2 : by way of interjection or further comment : with regard to the present topic
As I was studying for the first part of Thessalonians, I came across this quote:
After watching clip after clip on CNN of comments by Jerry Falwell, I …
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Culture Wars
Movie Commentary - “Jesus Camp”
by Jimmy Hopper
As noted in the bulletin this morning, we are providing a forum on the Riverblog to discuss our current Movie Night movie, Jesus Camp. The suggestions below are just that, suggestions, and everyone is free to discuss any ideas as comments. Please join in with your thoughts on the important …
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Culture Wars
Ah, Culture…..
by Jimmy Hopper
Most adult Sunday School attendees at Riverwood have heard me speak about the (comatose) state of American culture by commenting on the New York Times Book Review bestseller lists. Well, I’m something of a movie fan also and I was interested in the article in the entertainment insert of …
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Culture Wars
Not a Square to Spare
by Clay Staggs
Well, this is a far cry from the gravity of the discussions about the movie (which I’ve thoroughly enjoyed by the way). But, it was so ludicrous, I just had to post it and offer a brief comment.
Sheryl Crow has now proposed a limit on how many squares …
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Culture Wars
Bad Pub…..
by Jimmy Hopper
Monday morning, driving in the early morning fog to take my dogs to the Riverwalk, I turned on NPR and heard one of their detailed news items about world affairs; human interest division. This particular item had to do with the coming beatification and canonization of the recently deceased Pope …
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Culture Wars
Core Competency
by Clay Staggs
I’ve previously criticized Dr. James Dobson for his negative comments about Sen. McCain and some statements McCain had made about gay marriage. It appears that Dr. Dobson has again thrust himself into the 2008 GOP primary, this time to slam a guy who isn’t even a candidate (yet …
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Culture Wars
Bong Hits 4 Jesus
by Clay Staggs
If anyone is left out there that needs an object lesson in the perverse intersection we have in this country with the public schools and the First Amendment, then let me tell you about Bong Hits 4 Jesus.
Believe this or not (and this actually makes my point here) this …
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Culture Wars
O Canada! or, Lost in Space
by Clay Staggs
Just when you thought that you had read every asinine, hysterical, over-the-top moronic thing that could be written or said about global warming, along comes Paul Hellyer. Mr. Hellyer used to be the Defense Minster of Canada. He has figured out the way to save the planet from all the …
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Culture Wars
The Boring Life of a Prince
by Clay Staggs
In a strange way, I feel very sorry for Prince Charles. He’s an extremely important person, but yet he’s utterly irrelevant. That is to say, he will never wield any real power. But since he’s the Prince of Wales, the media will hang on his every word …
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The Absolution of Sin, circa 1805
by Jimmy Hopper
I am currently reading a book called Memoirs of a Fighting Captain by Admiral Thomas Lord Cochran (hope I did that right!) He was a captain and later an admiral in the British Navy during the Napoleonic wars. Cochran served as the model for Jack Aubrey and Horatio Hornblower in …
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Culture Wars
The Gray Lady Channels Marie Antoinette, Or, Let Them Eat Pastel?
by Clay Staggs
Anyone who knows my political leanings will not be surprised to learn that I’m no fan of the New York Times editorial page. Yesterday’s editorial about the price of corn, however, was one of the most astonishing things I’ve ever seen them print.
For anyone who’s …
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Culture Wars
They Have Rehab For That?
by Clay Staggs
OK, confession time. I am hooked on Grey’s Anatomy. It’s one of my favorite shows on TV. That said, there’s nothing to ruin a perfectly good movie or TV show like knowing what the actors are like in real life.
I have been reading about a recent …
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Culture Wars
Risky Business
by Clay Staggs
It is always fascinating to see what the unbelieving world thinks about Jesus Christ. In today’s Sun (UK) newspaper, we get a glimpse of that.
Apparently the leader of the “church” of Scientology, David Miscavige, believes that Tom Cruise is going to be “worshiped like Jesus for his work …
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Culture Wars
Swearing to Allah
by Tim Lien
If everything goes as planned, after next week, all the investitures for public and civil offices will be completed. These ceremonies make everything official, honorable, and serious, and they culminate in â??the swearing inâ? of our candidates for public office. Traditionally, the oaths have been made while the candidate …
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Culture Wars
Dobson on McCain
by Clay Staggs
Interestingly, Dr. Dobson has poked his toe into the political waters of the GOP 2008 presidential primary. He is opposed to John McCain’s candidacy. Apparently McCain’s position on gay marriage is unacceptable to Dobson.
I find this interesting on a number of fronts. First of all, McCain has …
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Culture Wars
Re-watching “Chariots of Fire”
by Jimmy Hopper
Sunday night at the latest Riverwood movie night, we viewed “Chariots of Fire,” and I was again amazed at what a fine movie it is and how clearly it speaks to the Christian message. I saw it when it first was released and remember distinctly telling Carolyn during the telecasting …
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Culture Wars
Diets and Faith, or “What Would Jesus Eat?” and Other Things
by Jimmy Hopper
Years ago now, in my early days of being a Christian, I stood before a groaning buffet table with my pastor, Dr. Robert Ostenson, in his home at Christmas. As we stared at what seemed to be acres of delicious food, I remarked jokingly, “Dr. O, I don’t think …
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Culture Wars
Taking the *Bleep* Out of *Bleep*
by Tim Lien
Leave it to a Presbyterian minister to take all the fun out of cursing. I realize that this discussion could possibly be quite volatile. But, again, leave it to a Presbyterian minister to coldly and systematically approach the subject.
Most importantly, as the Shorter Catechism (Q#2) reminds us, the …
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Culture Wars
Some Morals are More Relative Than Others
by Clay Staggs
I suppose that everyone is now aware that Saddam has been sentenced to death by hanging.
I noticed, though, that the President of the European Union has seen fit to condemn the death sentence. Now, that’s probably to be expected, but notice that it’s done without the slightest …
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Culture Wars
“Kids on Fire”
by Jimmy Hopper
One of the pleasures I enjoy each week is receiving by e-mail the New York Times movie guide each Friday and the Times book review each Sunday. In addition to enjoying reading about books and movies, I generally find that there is no better barometer of our culture than these …