House of the Interpreter

First Thoughts on Scott Brown's Victory

2010-01-19T21:27:00.004-05:00

OK, obviously, I'm neither a prophet nor the son of a prophet...I didn't think he'd pull it off.

My next thought...Could this guy - Scott Brown - be a presidential candidate? He's good looking, he's intelligent, he has a commanding presence and he's articulate, and now, he's proven he's a winner. If he does well as a senator, could he be a contender in 2012? or maybe (better) 2016? The Republicans need some good looking, articulate, winners. Maybe this is the first one.

Just a thought...

Two Quick Notes

2010-01-18T18:20:00.003-05:00

Just two quick points:

1) I want to go on record as saying, as much as I hope he wins, I don't think Scott Brown is going to win the people's seat in Mass.

2) In light of the recent tragic events in Haiti, I want everyone to know that I am having serious trouble with my faith. All this evil! All this innocent death! All this suffering! How could it happen? All this presents an insurmountable problem for my faith, the problem of evil. I'm afraid it will never recover. Therefore, I renounce my faith in, and love for, Gaia, MOTHER EARTH! How could she do this to us? What did these people do to deserve such suffering and death? An earthquake is not a man-made catastrophe! It's a Mother Earth made tragedy! She is evil, inflicting death and suffering on so many innocents. It's just too much to bear.

Just sayin'...yunno? (wink)

New Movie Reviews!

2010-01-09T17:32:00.008-05:00

I've seen several movies in the last week or so, and thought I should share a review with ya'll.

1. Blind Side -
I sympathize with the message of this movie. A wealthy, white, Christian family befriends, takes in, and adopts a very large, uneducated, athletic young black kid from a broken family and a terrible neighborhood, and helps him succeed. Sandra Bullock did well as the mother, though she sure did get a LOT of screen time, with lots of tight clothing and facial close-ups. Her character is clearly the leader of her family, financially, and spiritually. The story is touching, no doubt. From my experience working for the juvenile court in Cincinnati, I know something about certain realities of the black family portrayed in the film. I wasn't totally impressed by the character of the white family, and, if I were Af-Am, I would have been frustrated with the portrayal of black families. Yes, there are problems in the Af-Am community (as in every community), but goodness...the movie seemed to condemn black culture as a whole. And, of course, the white, Christian family came to the rescue. It was a bit much. There were several black families watching the same showing as I did, and they showed no difficulty with it; they cheered, defended the white family when they were accused, etc. (FYI, black folk are far more interactive with movies in theaters than your average white audience - it's a thing to behold. I once saw a Denzel Washington movie in a predominantly black community, and the women were constantly shouting, "Look out, Denzel! He's behind you, honey!" I heard one lady crying when he died. It was awesome!) In any case, I thought they could have done more to minimize the racial element. It was obvious there was a racial angle to the story; there was no need to emphasize it. 3/5 stars

2. Sherlock Holmes -
Good, old-fashioned, fun. I'm a Holmes fan, and though no one will match Jeremy Brett as Holmes, Morton [correction: ROBERT] Downey Jr. did a good job, and Jude Law did well as Dr. Watson. The on-screen chemistry between them was good. I got lost in time and thoroughly enjoyed the movie. Plot was good; special effects were good. There are some dark moments, portrayal of pagan/Satanic practices, but - not to give anything away - it's all good in the end. 4/5 stars

3. Star Trek -
I was totally surprised at how much I enjoyed this movie. I didn't expect much (maybe that helped), especially since it was a J.J. Abrams movie (I HATE the TV show "Lost"). And, I think it helped that I grew up watching the original "Star Trek" series with Kirk, Spock, Scotty and the gang. In my book, Nimoy and Shatner really are cool. But, the characters really grew on me. Spock, Kirk, Scotty, Sulu, Chekov - it was very well done. And what seemed so much fun was when we would see the origin of various things we older folks know from the original series, e.g., why is Dr. McCoy called "Bones?" When Spock showed up, and said to the young Jim Kirk, "I am, and always shall be, your friend," I got choked up. I feel like I know these guys, like I was with them during all those adventures in the original series. I was surprised at how much the movie affected me emotionally, and how much old-fashioned fun the movie was. 4/5 stars

4. District 9 -
This movie disturbed me. It is a faux documentary, set in the future, when some refugee aliens arrive in earth's atmosphere and end up taking up residence in Johannesburg, South Africa. A young bureaucrat working for the bureau of Alien Affairs is assigned the task of removing the aliens, called "Prawns," from their slum (District 9) to a new location. In the process, he becomes infected with alien DNA, begins to transform into an alien, and begins to see things from a different perspective. I can't quite pinpoint why I was so upset by the move, but something made watching it an unpleasant experience. There's no sex, lots of blood and killing, including dismemberment and eating of humans, and some rough language (rated R). The aliens themselves are somewhat distastful to look at. Parallels with other occasions of human rights abuses are clear. 2/5 stars

5. Avatar 3-D -
An amazing experience! I got a little disoriented near the beginning and had to take a quick walk around the lobby, but I only missed about 5 minutes. Visually stunning, colorful, beautiful - the fantasy world created by this movie is breathtaking in its color, lifeforms and scenery. The story is pretty predictable. Humans are plundering a certain substance on a planet known as Pandora, and the indigenous population becomes hostile, especially when the humans begin destroying locations of cultural/religious significance. Capitalism and military bear the brunt of ideological criticism in this pantheist/ environmentalist/ spiritualist/ pagan propaganda piece. A paraplegic veteran Marine takes part in a new technology that allows humans to animate a genetically created alien body (the "avatar"). His mission is to infiltrate the na'vi community to gain intel. The na'vi are deeply spiritual, deeply connected to their eco-system, and to their ancestors; and they worship a deity named Eywa. It is interesting to me that na'vi is the Hebrew word for "prophet" and the name of Eywa is oddly similar to Yahweh, but that may be coincidental. I felt like I was watching a super-tech fantasy version of "Dances With Wolves." If you are looking for a deep plot, this is not the movie; if you are looking for a feast of the senses and dazzling special effects, this is the movie for you. If you want a movie with a good message, biblically speaking, this is certainly not it. 4/5 stars

Are You A Misandrist?

2010-01-05T08:42:00.002-05:00

Do you like thinking about male/female roles in our society? Are you concerned about the future of the family? Do you like speculating about the future of society in general? If so, you will find this article fascinating. Disclaimer: I only skimmed this article, so I am not endorsing everything he says. I would like to read it more closely, but ... I have Herm final projects to grade!

Christian Church-Based Prostitution? Perhaps the Time has Come

2009-12-28T20:03:00.002-05:00

Read this modest proposal here. Fascinating. The arguments are quite persuasive, aren't they?

Wow! This Really Is the End

2009-12-22T12:01:00.003-05:00

They (Dems) are now openly embracing using public taxpayers' money to bribe other politicians to vote a certain way. The US is now (officially) a corrupt, third world government. How quickly we have fallen. Read it here.

If you have no ethics, you can't be accused of violating your standards!

Have You Heard About the Christian Elephants?

2009-12-21T14:48:00.002-05:00

Read about them here. Strange...very strange.

Wanna Hide from the One World Government?

2009-12-20T20:39:00.002-05:00

There will be no where to hide. Read this interesting column here.

Some Christian Classics

2009-12-04T19:25:00.003-05:00

A former student of mine recently wrote to me, wanting some suggestions for Christian classics she should read. Here's the list I wrote back:

1. J.I. Packer, _Knowing God_. This is a modern classic. Fantastic. It's not just about God; rather, it is about spirituality and Christian living.

2. Brother Lawrence, _Practicing the Presence of God_. This is a devotional classic by a Catholic brother. He writes about how he learned to live in a constant awareness of God's presence.

3. Thomas a Kempis, _The Imitation of Christ_. Another catholic brother; and another devotional classic. Kempis embraces some Catholic theology here and there, but by and large, it is an extended meditation on pursuing Christilikeness in everyday life.

4. C.S. Lewis, _The Screwtape Letters_. I've read this about 4 times; some of these letters have deeply influenced the way I think about all of life. It is humorous, serious, relevant, entertaining, readable. A Christian classic without question.

5. G.K. Chesterton, _Orthodoxy_. This one is a bit more "heady" and intellectual, but also funny and practical at the same time. Not a long book, but one has to read it slowly to appreciate it. It is one of Chesterton's defenses of the Christian faith.

6. John Bunyan, _Pilgrim's Progress_. Perhaps THE Christian classic of all time. I've read this countless times, and it always inspires. Bunyan's allegory of the Christian life: memorable, convicting, comforting, inspiring.

7. Daniel Defoe, _Robinson Crusoe_. You probably know the story, but few have actually read the book. When I did, I was surprised at how many quotations there are from Scripture. Crusoe tries to come to grips with life from a Christian perspective.

8. Hannah Hurnard, _Hind's Feet on High Places_. Another devotional classic. An extended allegory with lots of symbolism; very readable, emotional, inspiring.

9. Wayne Grudem, _Systematic Theology_. Get the unabridged version. It is LONG, but this book is not just another systematic theology. Dr. Grudem was one of my teachers in seminary. This book is a wonderful example of allowing Scripture to be our authority. It is not only educating but very nourishing to the soul. Both my wife and I have read it from cover to cover. Each chapter has memory verses and a hymn on that particular topic. Give yourself a year or so to finish it. I read a few pages every night before bed. My wife read it during morning devotions. Worth every page.

10. F.F. Bruce, _Paul's Letter to the Romans_ (Tyndale New Testament Commentary). This would not make many other people's list of classics; it was the textbook when I had Mr. Bedell for Romans class, and it changed my life. Bruce is a scholar, and writes like one, but his explanation of the gospel as taught by Paul in the book of Romans really did change my life.

The Blessing of Solitude

2009-11-30T20:05:00.003-05:00

From Justin Taylor's blog, I learned of a series by Mark Driscoll, pastor of Mars Hill Church on the issue of solitude and silence before God. I've sampled it enough to recommend the whole series. How we Americans need silence!

Here are the topics and the links:
1. Four Ways to Live your Life
2. Four Ways to Change Your Life
3. Understanding Silence and Solitude
4. Silence and Solitude Stealers
5. Silence and Solitude Journaling Template

I hope you find some time to be silent during this Advent season.

UPDATE: Pope Benedict XVI opens Advent preparation and speaks of the "joy of waiting." Read it here.

Thanks for reading.

7 Stories Barack Obama Does Not Want Told

2009-11-30T10:05:00.003-05:00

Here's a story from Politico today. What are the 7 stories Barack Obama does not want told? Here's the summary:
1. He thinks he's playing with Monopoly money.
2. Too much Leonard Nimoy (i.e., he doesn't feel anyone's pain)
3. That's the Chicago way (i.e., his staff is a bunch of Chicago thugs)
4. He's a pushover.
5. He sees America as another pleasant country on the U.N. roll call, somewhere between Albania and Zimbabwe (i.e., he denies American Exceptionalism)
6. President Pelosi (she's the real power in Washington)
7. He's in love with the man in the mirror.

Obama and Diplomatic Weakness

2009-11-23T09:18:00.002-05:00

Well, it's been a while since I last posted. So much going on...writing, parenting, grading, teaching. I'll recommend the following article, since it summarizes so well what our president is finding out: the world is not a nice place, and wanting people to like you gets you nowhere in an evil world full of dictators and bullies. Read it here. Here's how the article begins:

When he entered office, US President Barack Obama promised to inject US foreign policy with a new tone of respect and diplomacy. His recent trip to Asia, however, showed that it's not working. A shift to Bush-style bluntness may be coming.

This is just WRONG!

2009-09-12T07:19:00.002-04:00

This is truly painful for me to look at.

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Good Column on the Prez

2009-09-04T08:38:00.004-04:00

Here's a good summary of BHO's leftist policies. I can think of some more, but this is helpful. Thank you to Larry Elder.

BTW, don't ya' love this picture? {here}

Chrysostom

2009-08-14T11:03:00.003-04:00

Just before the beginning of Lent, 387, word reached the city of Antioch of a new tax the emperor was exacting on the empire. The citizens of Antioch began to riot, and in the heat of the moment, toppled two statues of the emperor and his wife. This was considered seditious behavior, punishable by whatever the emperor deemed necessary to maintain order and submission (my, how far we have come, politically, eh?)

The city was in shock as the magnitude of the actions began to sink in. Here's how John Chrysostom, pastor of the oldest church in Antioch, began his morning message:

What shall I say, or what shall I speak of? The present season is one for tears, and not for words; for lamentation, not for discourse; for prayer, not for preaching. Such is the magnitude of the deeds daringly done; so incurable is the wound, so deep the blow, even beyond the power of all treatment, and craving assistance from above.

I also like this line:

The Church is not a theatre, that we should listen for amusement.

That's all for today. I'm only 1/3 of the way through the sermon.

More Johnny Chrysostom

2009-08-13T09:22:00.003-04:00

From Homily #1, Concerning the Statues:

Listen to this simile:

Just as in the contests of the outer world, the combatants that are vigorous, and in high condition of body, are not so well discerned, when they are enwrapt all around with the garment soaked in oil; but when casting this aside, they are brought forward unclothed into the arena; then above all they strike the
spectators on every side with astonishment at the proportion of their limbs,
there being no longer anything to conceal them; so also was it with Job. When he
was enveloped in all that wealth, it was not visible to the many, what a man he
was. But when, like the wrestler, that strips off his garment, he threw it
aside, and came naked to the conflicts of piety, thus unclothed, he astonished
all who saw him; so that the very theatre of angels shouted at beholding his
fortitude of soul, and applauded him as he won his crown!

Wow. What an amazing metaphor! To think of Job as a wrestler whose body is revealed as he strips off the outer garment of wealth...how vivid, how memorable.

I just like this quote:

Let us not then call Him to account for what He does; but let us give Him glory in all things. For it is not lightly and to no purpose that He often permits such events [as afflictions in the lives of the righteous].

Eight Reasons for Afflictions in the Lives of the Saints

2009-08-13T06:30:00.003-04:00

In his first "Homily on the Statues," John Chrysostom preached on Paul's instruction to Timothy, "Drink a little wine for thy stomach's sake, and thy often infirmities." One of the issues he felt necessary to address was this: why would God let Timothy have such "infirmities" at all? So he answers this question with "eight reasons for afflictions."

A historical note: this sermon, preached to the people of Antioch, preceded the catastrophic riots in the city which resulted in the destruction of the statues of the emperor and his wife, which destruction was viewed in that day as tantamount to treason and punishable against the city by summary executions. This sermon was preached in the lull before that storm, in which the fate of the city lay in the hands of the emperor, Theodosius I (the Great). The date was Sunday, 21 of February, A.D. 387.

Here are his "Eight Reasons" why God permits afflictions in the lives of the saints:

1. "...that they may not too easily be exalted into presumption..." i.e., to humble them.

2. "...that others may not have a greater opinion of them than belongs to human nature, and take them to be gods and not men."

3. "...that the power of God may be made manifest..."

4. "...that the endurance of these themselves may become more striking, serving God, as they do, not for a reward; but showing even such right-mindedness as to give proof of their undiminished good will towards Him after so many evils." (Wow.)

5. "...that our minds may be wise concerning the doctrine of a resurrection." His point is that the suffering of the righteous demands that God be just by raising them from the dead and rewarding them.

6. "...that all who fall into adversity may have a sufficient consolation and alleviation, by looking at such persons, and remembering what sufferings have befallen them."

7. "...that when we exhort you to the virtue of such persons...you may not, on account of the surpassing character of their good works, slothfully shrink from such an imitation of them, as deeming them to have been partakers of a different nature."

8. "...that when it is necessary to call any blessed, or the reverse, we may learn whom we ought to account happy, and whom unhappy and wretched." I don't get this one.

Great Column!

2009-08-12T10:29:00.002-04:00

OK, so Camille Paglia is no conservative (she's a lesbian libertarian, I believe), but, WOW, does she nail it in this column in her analysis of Obama's work on healthcare reform. Her analysis sounds cynical, but with power hungry Nazi liberals and scandalous conservatives abounding everywhere, I can understand. The first two pages of this column are fascinating and I think I agree with just about everything she says. On the last page (page 3) she discusses some weird stuff that just doesn't interest me. But in any case, I recommend her analysis.

The Ruse Starts

2009-07-10T13:01:00.005-04:00

This is a ruse. With the credibility of the media in such shambles, I suspect they will start picking on BHO for issues like this. Then they can say, "Hey, we've been hard on the President." They did this with Bill Clinton. They have no problem picking at the foibles of liberal and/or progressive politicians. What they will never, NEVER, do is question their policies. They won't even examine their policies, let alone analyze or question them.

For the record, if you watch the video, I think it is clear that our President was not...uh...looking. Let's stop this nonsense and start doing some investigative reporting and analysis of BHO's policies.

{image}

Enough Already!

2009-07-09T15:44:00.003-04:00

Goodness! Why all this? Do we have to radicalize and politicize EVERYTHING? I've seen and heard enough about Michael Jackson to last me the rest of my life.

And I'm particularly irked by both extreme ends of the spectrum. Some people cannot say his name without saying the word "pedophile" in the same sentence. Now, I'll be the first to say he was weird...VERY weird...but there is no evidence of pedophilia. I've seen the interview of him talking about having the boys in bed with him, and yes, weird, and no, I probably wouldn't let my kids hang out with him at the ranch, but that interview actually made me cry. He talked about the things he did with those kids in very "idealistic" terms. He seemed to be trying to create a storybook childhood for these boys, and he was including himself in this story. It looked to me like he was trying to somehow experience childhood through these boys, as if watching them and being with them during typical childhood activities would somehow help him. He mentioned drinking warm milk and eating cookies. Yeah, that sounds nice, but I had warm milk once...and it was disgusting! Milk (at least cow's milk) was made to be cold...THEN bring out the cookies. In that interview, he looked sad to me, like he was grasping, almost thrashing about trying to find a childhood. It really made me sad. He was a troubled man, and I don't think we should pile on, so to speak. Learn from his mistakes and move on.

But I'm equally irked by those who are trying to make him into some kind of martyr, saint, icon, etc. I feel like this is "African-American hagiography." One guy said he was "the best entertainer ever." Really? REALLY? The best EVER? Hmmm...that sounds a bit over the top. He was a great entertainer, an innovator, he crossed racial lines, he appealed to a worldwide audience...all that I can agree with. But for some reason, people are trying to make him more than he was, and ignore all the weirdness. Jamie Fox was particularly strange: "This man...this BLACK man...he was OURS...and we shared him..." Is this necessary? Is there anyone who doubted that he was black? Is this new information? What is behind such a statement? Doesn't that sound bitter? Maybe even insecure? Why are so many people racializing this thing? I just don't get it.

Here's the final word (IMHO) on the subject: many people think MJ was a very talented singer and entertainer; he was innovative; he broke down walls; he brought people together; he enjoyed worldwide appeal; and he was weird, very weird. He led a troubled life; he was the victim of several kinds of abuse and he had trouble leading a normal life. And now that he is gone, can we let him rest in peace? Let's not racialize him; let's not lionize him; let's learn from him and move on. Can we agree on that?

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Finally, Someone Says the Obvious!

2009-07-07T14:01:00.006-04:00

Here's an excellent column on National Review Online that explains the hatred for Sarah Palin. There is no question that the Left plays by different rules than the Right. If you have moral scruples, how do you fight with someone who has no scruples at all, who will do anything to win?

Here are some interesting comments from a liberal, feminist, Democrat (and dissident lesbian) Camille Paglia. I like this line:

[Palin] also needs a shrewder, cooler take on the mainstream media, with its preening bullies, cackling witches, twisted cynics and pompous windbags.

2009-06-26T16:03:00.003-04:00

I'm a little surprised at the level of emotion after the death of Michael Jackson.

I've always considered him a tragic figure. Talented, but clueless, and wandering in a wasteland of fame, money, and weirdness.

BTW, He was paying $100,000 per month to live in that house! I think President Obama should step in and take control of the entertainment industry, and put salary caps on how much entertainers can make. Jackson was paying more in rent each month than twice what I make in a year! That's economic justice?

And about Perez Hilton: Would somebody please shut that guy up!

2009-06-25T12:32:00.001-04:00

I'll say:

{image}

From Anger to Sadness

2009-06-25T11:08:00.003-04:00

OK, I'm over the initial reaction and outburst of anger. The more I hear about this whole affair, the sadder I become. I think the erratic behavior, the emails, etc., show a basically good man that ignored warning signs and somehow ended up in a place he never intended or even wanted to go.

Every married man faces temptation. I've been married for over 23 years now, and I can say from the first week of his marriage, a man must learn to think differently. What once you looked at as possibilities you must now look at as impossibilities, and because of our sin nature, sometimes the "forbiddenness" of things makes them all the more attractive. Then there is the perpetual temptation of "easy skin," i.e., pornography, made wildly easier today via the internet. This, from what I've read, is more a means of dealing with pain in one's life than an issue of sexuality. Then there are the serious temptations, more emotional in nature than sexual, which appeal by claiming to give feelings of "newness," "importance," etc. I think most men feel them - I have - but I've also learned that many, many lies in life can sound very true. Don't forget the Garden of Eden!

So, as a man who has not always lived up to his own ideals, who has fallen short - who regularly falls short! - of his own standards, I have felt what Mark Sanford must be feeling right now.

In some ways, I'll bet it is a relief. I wonder if he felt euphoric yesterday after the news conference. For a man who takes his moral commitments seriously, it must be extremely stressful to know inside that you are gradually becoming two people, someone with a public reputation and someone with a personal reality that doesn't match. And to feel you can't stop the process...How sad! To finally bring the two persons back together must have been a great relief, even if the direction was to pull the public reputation person down to the personal reality, at least the two are now again one. Of course, we would all like to make our public reputation and our personal reality match - God help us all!

Clearly, he was suffering from deep stress. The long, drawn-out battle with the legislature, for what he felt was right, and his eventual defeat, the stress of going in a direction in his personal life he did not want to go, all that led to erratic behavior, almost desperation...then to get caught, come clean, and begin the process of moving on. This happens all over the country every day, at all sorts of levels. Some are left behind and things are repaired with little difficulty; others become trainwrecks. The problem with Mr. Sanford is that, because of his office, status and influence, and because of his stated moral standards, and because of his family, the fall is long, and hard, and painful.

May God have mercy and help this man reassemble his personal life.

Thanks, Mark!

2009-06-24T15:18:00.005-04:00

Well, I was not terribly troubled when I heard our governor was "unreachable" for a few days. A man deserves a break now and then, and there have been many times I have wanted to get out on a canoe on Lake Murray all by myself, just to be alone. Not tell the wife? Well, I wouldn't take that route myself, but if Mrs. Sanford is OK with it, I don't think I should judge. Hiking the Appalachian Trail? OK, no problem...a little odd, but, hey, I've hiked part of it, and I can see where that would help someone unwind a bit. South America? Hmmmm...well, OK, I suppose if I had the money and could do that I might want to really get away from it all from time to time. I wish he had been a bit more careful, and had let people know, but again, I'm OK with it. My nice neighbor lady, asked me today what I thought of our missing governor, and I gently tried to give the guy some freedom. I've heard from some reliable sources that Mr. Sanford is a real family man, a genuine Christian man, so I went out on a limb and assured my Jewish neighbor that, whatever the reason for our governor's disappearance, "I'm sure it was nothing, yunno, WRONG or IMMORAL."

THANKS, MARK!

Here and here.

"Two-Faced Feminism"

2009-06-23T11:40:00.003-04:00

A funny column by S.E. Cupp on the death of "Two-Faced Feminism." Here are the opening graphs:

Thank you, Barbara Boxer, for hammering the final nail in the coffin of angry and irrelevant pseudo-feminism. If any life were left in its wheezing and flailing body, her latest experiment in the utterly ridiculous effectively pulled the plug.

The venomous brand of feminism that cuts men off at the knees to make women arbitrarily taller is no longer credible. When Boxer had the audacity — and some would argue, questionable mental clarity — to scold a U.S. Army general publicly for calling her “ma’am” instead of “senator,” it telegraphed to the rest of the world the sheer inanity of today’s modern feminism, a rusting relic of the '60s that’s been pushed so far to the extreme borders of relevance that it actually has Boxer hearing things. Yes, in today’s feminism, calling a woman “ma'am” is a mark of disrespect.

But calling another woman a “slutty flight attendant” is apparently hilarious. Never mind that the woman is a governor, the first woman to hold that post in her state, and the youngest. Never mind that she’s an accomplished and hard-working, self-made woman and mother of five. Because she’s a Republican, she’s fair game for those on the lunatic left who, when it comes to Sarah Palin, seem to have forgotten their Feminism for Dummies handbook at their beach houses.

Read the rest here.

Cool Quote

2009-06-18T16:26:00.002-04:00

I found this awesome quote today. I believe it, but I certainly don't live up to it. Why don't we teach this stuff in our government schools?

"A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently and die gallantly. Specialization is for insects!" -- Robert A. Heinlein

My education was more like: "I'm learning more and more about less and less until eventually I'll know everything about nothing!"

After four kids, I got the "changing a diaper" thing down!

Some Summer Movie Reviews

2009-06-15T16:53:00.014-04:00

Well, I've been using some of my credit card reward points to get free rentals from Blockbuster. Here're my opinions of the latest batch.

1. DEFIANCE - This is a Daniel Craig, Holocaust flick filmed in Europe. Craig is the leader of a group of Polish Jews who hide from the Nazis by fleeing into the forests, where they build camps and assemble a society of sorts. I've not been a big Craig fan, but this movie was simply awesome! There's romance, Jews, WWII, desperation, conflict, moral conundrums, war scenes, no sex, a little swearing, violence, etc. There's a moving scene where one of the Jews prays and asks God to "choose another people, and take back our righteousness." Wow. Great stuff. I totally lost sense of time and place watching this movie. The accents are convincing and the Polish and Russian dialogue are son convincing I thought I was really there. I give it 5/5 stars.

2. THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON - The latest Brad Pitt flick; Pitt plays a man who was born the day WWI ended. A clock maker designs a giant clock for a new train station, but designs it to run backward. Benjamin Button is born on this day, and therefore, his aging process is reversed. He is born as a baby but one with a 90 year old man, organs failing, etc. and as he ages, he gradually grows younger - a fascinating premise. Although I don't always think much of Pitt's politics and social action agenda, I think he is a good actor. This movie is no exception. Again, I was totally lost watching this movie (a key element that I consider when evaluating a movie). It made me think about life, relationships, etc. I give it 4/5 stars.

3. CHANGLING - I wasn't expecting much from this Angelina Jolie movie, based on a true story of a kidnapping in California and the legal reforms it launched. There are some points of extreme stress, so be warned - it isn't always a pleasant thing to watch. But in any case, I enjoyed it. I give it 4/5 stars.

4. APPALOOSA - This western stars Ed Harris, Jeremy Irons, and Viggo Mortensen. Historically, I am not a fan of westerns, but as I grow older, something about them is beginning to appeal to me. Maybe its the guns...maybe its the women...maybe its that each man must prove himself in a one-on-one contest with either the bad guy or nature or himself. Oh well, in any case, I thought this was well done. It wasn't over-the-top, very subdued, minimalist. The rapport between Harris and Mortensen is great. I give it 4/5 stars.

5. JAMES BOND, QUANTUM OF SOLACE - Hmmm, James Bond movies haven't changed much since I first saw "The Man With the Golden Gun" as a zit-faced teenager, drooling over all the beautiful women. Something inside me knew that he was not living a godly life, but I still kinda' secretly wanted to be James Bond and receive the adulation and affection of women the world over. Like I said, not much has changed in these movies, although I have a clearer understanding now of what I sensed were problems with such a lifestyle. Not much else to say about the movie. I give it 3/5 stars.

6. POWDER BLUE - This is a rather odd little thing, kinda' like "Crash" without the accident. Four lives in particular are gradually weaved together. There's not much violence, a bit of language, but way too much skin. I suppose any movie with a "stripper" in it should be a red flag... The lovely and talented Jessica Biel plays the stripper with a comatose son in the hospital. Her life intersects with a socially awkward mortician, some kind of a gangster, and a priest who apparently got married then lost his wife in a car accident and has lost his will to live. I love movies about plain, simple people who reach points of desperation and have to make heart-wrenching decisions. Be warned: the skin is a bit much. I give it 3/5 stars.

7. GRAN TORINO - This movie blew me away! I love it, I love it! Clint Eastwood plays an aging Korean war vet who spent his adult life working the assembly line in the car factories of Detroit, MI. His wife has just died and his neighborhood has been gradually taken over by the Hmong people. The man is grumpy, bitter, racist and generally mad at the world. Through a variety of circumstances, he becomes entwined with the lives of his Hmong neighbors and befriends a teenage boy who is trying to be forcibly recruited by a local gang. There's no sex, little violence, but the language is so foul and bad it got funny. He keeps in his garage a 1972 vintage Gran Torino in mint condition. That car becomes a symbol not only of his life but of the country he served and loves so much - aging, out of date, and no longer the same. This is a great parable of how our nation has in some ways become better but in many ways has become more violent, coarser and less a land of opportunity. If you want a story of sacrifice, redemption, humor, and clashes of culture, this is for you. I give it 5/5 stars enthusiastically!

Well, that's all for now. A pretty good batch. Let me know what ya'll think.

Proverbs 4:19 on Display

2009-06-11T11:39:00.003-04:00

This from FOXNews today. I don't say this at all to pronounce judgment on Mr. LeBeouf. I want to draw attention to his own admission of moral confusion, his sense of blindness. This makes me sad for him. [I added the bold italics.]

....LeBeouf, 23, admitted that he is indeed battling a few demons, adding that all actors are.
“They’re all in pain. It’s a profession of bottom-feeders and heartbroken people,” he said. “Most actors on most days don’t think they’re worthy,” he added. “I have no idea where this insecurity comes from, but it’s a God-sized hole. If I knew it, I’d fill it and I’d be on my way.”
The "Transformers" star, who was arrested on a DUI in July of 2008, also admitted to being an alcoholic.
“Why am I an alcoholic? I haven’t a [expletive] clue.”

See the whole article here.

"Wicked" in Proverbs 4:19 is perhaps too strong a word for us. I'm not trying to call Mr. LeBeouf wicked. What I'm trying to illustrate is that those who do not walk in the "fear of the Lord" (properly defined) often suffer from a kind of moral blindness, an inability to properly perceive their own lives. That's all I'm trying to say. Perhaps someone like him is not far from the Kingdom of God....

What's Good for the Goose...

2009-05-09T11:06:00.004-04:00

During the "Bush years," we heard all sorts of drivel about how oppressive the administration was, especially as exemplified in the movie, "V For Vendetta." The mantra was:

"People should not be afraid of their governments; governments should be afraid of their people."

I wonder: Is that still true? Or is oppression OK now?

Crutch's Recent Movie Reviews

2009-05-03T19:28:00.003-04:00

I rented some movies this weekend, thanks to our credit card rewards program! Here are my mini-reviews:

1. Kung-Fu Panda - Andrew and Diane assured me that I would laugh uncontrollably at this movie, but I found it pretty average. There were a few laughs, the funniest sequence is when the panda is fighting his "mentor" for a dumpling (food). All in all, though, I was a bit disappointed. I would give it 2/5 stars.

2. Doubt - again, this movie had potential - I love religiously themed movies! - but this one slipped into political correctness, and left too many loose ends. Meryl Streep was creepily excellent as the accusatory Sister Aloysius, and ole Philip Seymour Hoffman was great as the accused Father Brendan Flynn. I would give it 2/5 stars.

3. The Day the Earth Stood Still - the Keanu Reeves propaganda piece about global warming and environmentalism. This is a remake of the old 1951 movie, but I felt I was being preached at for most of the film. Even the gorgeous Jennifer Connelly was not on her best game. I give it 2/5 stars.

4. The Reader - the new Kate Winslet Holocaust movie. Of the lot I saw this weekend, this one was the best. We saw much more of ole Kate naked than I would have preferred, so be ready for that (I didn't realize it was rated R, and I thought the affair played a more minor role in the film). The first third of the movie is the affair she has with a 16 year old boy. There were some tender moments between them. A subplot of the movie is the negative effects that such an intimate relationship has on a young man. The film raises some interesting moral questions about the law and the Holocaust. I give it 3/5 stars.

Why Is Socialism Bad?

2009-04-17T13:27:00.002-04:00

Here's a short blog posting that gives a couple of reasons.

1) It doesn't work in the long run.

2) It diminishes human dignity.

FELLOW RIGHT-WING EXTREMISTS

2009-04-15T18:10:00.003-04:00

Tea Party Slogans

2009-04-15T17:03:00.002-04:00

Signs I saw at the Tea Party:

Don't tax me, bro!

Don't Tread on Me!

Socialism = Slavery

Revolution is brewing!

American by Birth; Taxed to Death!

End the Fed!

Big Gov't Sucks! (sorry; I agree but I don't like that expression)

Tea Party - Columbia, S.C.

2009-04-15T14:22:00.008-04:00

Here are some photos from the Tea Party in downtown Columbia today. Jim DeMint was there, as was Gov. Sanford. There was a good turn-out, several hundred, easily. Where was Lindsay Graham?

Here is Gov. Sanford speaking to the crowd.

Here's Jim DeMint talking to the crowd.

Here's somebody's kid (ahem...) holding a sign. Some nice lady gave him the sign.

Here's some other abusive parent who dragged his/her kid down to a political protest.

Bow? Wow!

2009-04-11T11:27:00.002-04:00

Another Obamanation! Can you believe this guy? I wonder if he had to "lean over" to shake the Queen of England's hand?

"A Rookie President"

2009-03-31T17:25:00.002-04:00

Read here a pointed critique of BHO. Here's a taste:

Barack Obama is a rookie in a sense that few other Presidents in American history have ever been. It is not just that he has never been President before. He has never had any position of major executive responsibility in any kind of organization where he was personally responsible for the outcome.

Bye Bye, Johnny Calvin; Hello, Johnny Chrysostom

2009-03-30T14:35:00.004-04:00

Well, I gave up on reading the Institutes. Something about Book I that kills me every time. I just don't find all his debates with strange heretics all that interesting.

Instead, I found a biography of John Chrysostom, biship of Antioch, then bishop of Constantinople, by J.N.D. Kelly, called Golden Mouth: The Story of John Chrysostom - Ascetic, Preacher, Bishop (Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 1998). What a fascinating life! I'm hooked. I can't read enough about this guy. And Kelly's bio reads like a novel: engaging, suspenseful, dramatic. I may have to re-read it simply because it was so good. Now I'm sampling some of his sermons which appear in translation in the Nicene/Post-Nicene Fathers collection. He was the first major exegete to write a full-length commentary on the Gospel of Matthew.

Well, more on him later, I hope.

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King Obama

2009-03-30T14:26:00.004-04:00

I have NEVER seen such an exercise of raw power as what we are witnessing in the new Obama administration. A president fires a CEO??? Does this not bother anyone? Maybe next he'll decide to fire Dr. Bill Jones at CIU. The arrogance and audacity of it all... People are going to hate this man before long. I was inclined to give him a lot of grace and room to make some initial blunders, but he used all that up in about the first two weeks of his reign. I think we're living in a dictatorship now.

First he bribes companies by giving them money, then he takes them over by telling them to do what he says or else... How many companies has he run before? Ridiculous!

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"Faith and Inauguration"

2009-01-21T21:02:00.004-05:00

Os Guinness published a column in USA Today about civility in our culture. Os Guinness has a long track record of trying sincerely to improve the role of the Christian community in the public square. He was disciples by Francis A. Schaeffer. Here's a sample from the column:

Obama himself demonstrates civility in action: the ability to respect and listen to people of profound differences, and to work with them on issues of importance for the common good. Uniquely, perhaps, he would be capable of delivering the Gettysburg Address of the American culture wars. Tuesday's inaugural address is not the occasion, but what our nation requires is a statesman's address by the "President of all Americans" to Americans of all faiths and no faith. In short, what is needed is a challenge to the entire nation — activists, pundits and bloggers included — to live up to the promise of the American experiment in light of the culture wars at home and the sectarian strife around the world. What we need is a rebirth of a tough-minded civility that is a genuine habit of the heart, and valued as a necessity in a democracy as well as a virtue in a republic.

"Judge Obama on Performance Alone"

2009-01-21T14:15:00.003-05:00

Yesterday, liberal AfAm journalist Juan Williams in the Wall Street Journal published a great column on how to judge BH Obama. Here are a few key graphs:

If his presidency is to represent the full power of the idea that black Americans are just like everyone else -- fully human and fully capable of intellect, courage and patriotism -- then Barack Obama has to be subject to the same rough and tumble of political criticism experienced by his predecessors. To treat the first black president as if he is a fragile flower is certain to hobble him. It is also to waste a tremendous opportunity for improving race relations by doing away with stereotypes and seeing the potential in all Americans.

Yet there is fear, especially among black people, that criticism of him or any of his failures might be twisted into evidence that people of color cannot effectively lead. That amounts to wasting time and energy reacting to hateful stereotypes. It also leads to treating all criticism of Mr. Obama, whether legitimate, wrong-headed or even mean-spirited, as racist.

This is patronizing. Worse, it carries an implicit presumption of inferiority. Every American president must be held to the highest standard. No president of any color should be given a free pass for screw-ups, lies or failure to keep a promise.

In my opinion, this is a wonderful corrective to the fawning, slobbering (to use Bernie Goldberg's term) love-fest for BH Obama from the media so far. Thank you, Mr. Williams. I resent the implication among some that ANY disagreement with or criticism of BHO is racist. Maybe if enough AfAms speak up, we can move race relations ahead in this country.

Reading Calvin's Institutes

2009-01-16T00:07:00.005-05:00

I'm trying to read through Calvin's Institutes of the Christian Religion this year, 2009. Reformation21.org has a reading schedule, and some of their contributors are blogging their way through their own reading. Maybe from time to time, I'll share my own thoughts. Here are a few so far.

His definition of a healthy church:

"...the pure preaching of God's Word and the lawful administration of the sacraments" (:24-25).

No seeker-sensitivity here! No top notch children's programs, or cutting edge youth ministry...hmm...

I am struck by how his theology begins with God, not man. Here are a few quotes:

"[W]e cannot seriously aspire to him before we begin to become displeased with ourselves" (:37).

"[M]an is never sufficiently touched and affected by the awareness of his lowly estate until he has compared himself with God's majesty" (:37).

"[H]owever the knowledge of God and of ourselves may be mutually connected, the order of right teaching requires that we discuss the former first, then proceed afterward to treat the latter" (:39).

I wonder how much of our church practice is askew because we begin with man and not with God. Those are two hugely different theologies: theocentric and anthrocentric. I wonder if my life is theocentric?

Concerning "piety," he writes:

"I call "piety" that reverence joined with love of God which the knowledge of his benefits induces. For until men recognize that they owe everything to God, that they are nourished by his fatherly care, that he is the Author of their every good, that hey should seek nothing beyond him -- they will never yield him willing service. Nay, unless they establish their complete happiness in him, they will never give themselves truly and sincerely to him," (:41).

This is huge, and I'm still trying to let this sink in.

Concerning the "pious mind," he writes (and this is my favorite so far):

"[T]his mind restrains itself from sinning, not out of dread of punishment alone; but, because it loves and reveres God as Father, it worships and adores him as Lord. Even if there were no hell, it would still shudder at offending him alone," (:43).

Lord, give me a heart like this!

What I sense, after about 60 pages, is that this man was consumed with God, or as John Piper puts it, "a God-besotted man." His mind had been so conformed to Scripture that he thought of everything from God's perspective. Strangely enough, reading Calvin pushes me to read Scripture more myself. Perhaps that is testimony enough of the power of his mind and spirit.

Trip to Disney

2009-01-15T23:34:00.003-05:00

I didn't mention this before we left, but over the holidays my family spent 11 days in Florida with all things Disney. Our schedule was something like this:
1) Go to the Holy Land Experience in Orlando, FL.
2) Spend 4 days at Disney World, one day at each of the parks.
3) Go on a Disney cruise to the Bahamas, three nights, 2 days.
4) Return to Cape Canaveral and go to the Kennedy Space Center.

All in all, this was a great trip. My parents celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on December 20th, and to celebrate, they invited my family, and my sister's family, on the all-expense-paid trip. This was very generous of them.

Initially, I was looking forward much more to the Bahamas thing than to Disney World itself. I thought the "amusement parks" would leave me cold. My experience, though, was quite different. I enjoyed the parks much more than I thought I would. I was struck by the professionalism, cleanliness, organization, cheerfulness of the staff, etc. I hate to say it, but I began to feel the Disney Magic!

I was really impressed by how careful the restaurants were with food allergies. Most places could not care less, but the staff at Disney took every one of our concerns very seriously, both at the parks and on the cruise. Since we are a family with many food allergies, this was a welcomed experience.

There was a bit more walking than I was ready for, especially at EPCOT (which some people say stands for "Every person comes out tired"!). Special mention goes to Cinderella's castle, and Mainstreet, USA. At Epcot, I enjoyed walking around all the different countries. The light show / fireworks display was awesome. I could have spent much more time at all the parks, certainly. We had a very diverse group, 2 people in their 70's, one who was on a scooter, four adults in their 40's, then 7 kids, ranging in age from about 3 to 17. It is hard to make everyone happy, but when we separated and did our own thing, we really had a good time.

They had a great safari ride at the Animal Kingdom. At Hollywood Studios, they had a cool Star Wars ride. Our meals were excellent. We had two meals with Disney characters, a supper with Winnie-the-Pooh people, and a breakfast with the Disney princesses, including Mary Poppins, Princess Jasmine, Belle, Mulan, and a few others. I'm amazed at the skills of these characters. They made you think they really were Mary Poppins, etc. My favorite was seein Snow White in the flesh on the cruise. This actress had the gestures and expressions of Snow White down cold. She looked, talked, and acted just like Snow White in the movie. And while I was waiting in line to meet her, I saw her interact with some little girls in such a way that it brought tears to my eyes. She really knew how to make these little girls feel like they were meeting Snow White. Amazing...where does Disney find this kind of people? They were all so good.

The cruise was also wonderful. I took the Queen Elizabeth II to England when I was 19, so this wasn't my first experience on a cruise ship. I love standing out on the open decks and watching the docking and feeling the sea wind in my hair. One one of the days, we stopped at Nassau, Bahamas, and went to something called "Dolphin Encounter." We got to touch a dolphin, etc. Very nice, and certainly memorable for the kids. The second day we were scheduled to go snorkeling, but the sea was too rough, so we walked around the island Disney owns and sat on the beach.

One of the few regrets is that they have so much to do that we got tired and had little time to sit together and talk as a family. But it was certainly a shared experience, one we will never forget. Thanks, Mom and Dad!

The Holy Land Experience also had some high points. Again, very professional people, nice shows, great singers, a very nice model of Jerusalem at the time of Jesus, and a wonderful exhibit about Biblical manuscripts called the Scriptorium. I enjoyed the whole trip.

Now, with the beginning of the semester, it is back to reality!

Bush Post-Mortem

2009-01-12T12:43:00.003-05:00

Fred Barnes has a good evaluation of the Bush Administration. Read it here.

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"10 Things the President Got Right"

In the Interest of Fairness...

2009-01-12T08:09:00.001-05:00

Here's a column by a supporter of Gaza, Rhashid Khalidi, of the NYT. Here's the introduction:

NEARLY everything you’ve been led to believe about Gaza is wrong. Below are a few essential points that seem to be missing from the conversation, much of which has taken place in the press, about Israel’s attack on the Gaza Strip.

Pro-Life State of the Union: 2009

2009-01-12T08:00:00.001-05:00

Here's an excellent issue in World magazine on the state of the Pro-Life cause. Read about it on Justin Taylor's blog here.

"It's Not Easy to be Christian in the Middle East"

2009-01-12T07:41:00.004-05:00

See an interview between Newsmax and Mordechay Lewy, Israel's Ambassador to the Holy See (Vatican). Read it here. Here are two key paragraphs:

If someone wants to be pro-Palestinian, he can find many reasons. When they look at our area they ask: Do we have Christian brothers there? It’s natural that Christians will have solidarity with their brothers in the Middle East. It’s not easy to be Christian in the Middle East. I am not saying Christians don’t have problems in Israel, but they should pray to God to thank Him they are under Israeli and not Muslim rule.
I can understand Catholics’ special affection for each other, but they should not seek to improve the personal security of their brothers in need by being anti-Israeli. This is not a life insurance policy. It is a notion which experience shows has failed. You’re not buying anything with it. The Muslims deeply resent Christians, so they are not impressed by such Christian anti-Israeli statements. That’s the experience in the Middle East.

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UPDATE:

Hamas reinstitutes crucifixion of Christians as "enemies of Islam."

Read it here. I haven't heard much about this in the media.

What Can We Talk About?

2009-01-08T23:55:00.002-05:00

I found a great quote today in the Economist, in an article on conversions of Muslims in Kosovo to Christianity. In the reader's comments, someone very perceptively wrote the following:

Discussing large things is now a capital offense, we must only debate
trivialities. You may oppose a man's opinion on transportation policy, but you
must not oppose his view of the world - even if he wishes to see that world burn
in an act of suicidal violence.

Queen Pelosi

2009-01-07T13:07:00.005-05:00

(Democrat) change you can believe in! Destroy the minority! Nancy Pelosi rammed new rules down the throat of the 111th congress to consolidate power. There's bipartisanship for you! Newt Gingrich's congress changed these rules to allow the minority more freedom. Read the article here. {image}

A T-shirt at Disney

2009-01-06T11:03:00.002-05:00

I saw a t-shirt at Disneyworld last week that read as follows:

More people have read this shirt than have read your blog.

How true.

Merry Christmas

2008-12-15T22:32:00.002-05:00

Boy, have I NOT felt like writing anything recently. It doesn't help that I'm buried up to my eyes in final projects, tests, and papers. Then we're off to Disney! I probably won't be back to blogging until January. See you next year.

Lynching? A-OK!

2008-10-27T09:45:00.003-04:00

I guess lynching is OK when the victim is a middle-class, white, evangelical woman running for VP. See the news item here.

[picture from Drudge]

A Prediction!

2008-10-22T23:18:00.003-04:00

I want to go on record as predicting something. The media have not broken any serious scandal about John McCain / Sarah Palin recently. Yes, they have been beating on Sarah Palin mercilessly, but we've heard nothing about the "Keating Five," or McCain's first marriage, etc. Does that sound strange to anyone?

Here's what I think: the media are saving any serious scandal-type stories until just before the election. If McCain starts getting some momentum - and polls are beginning to indicate that he is indeed getting some traction, perhaps the beginnings of a comeback - watch out! The weekend before the election the media will launch an all-out assault on McCain/Palin. The media are so heavily invested in an Obama presidency that they will never, NEVER allow McCain/Palin to have a chance.

If they wait until the weekend before the election, there won't be enough time for a news cycle to sort out what is true and what is smear. The goal will be to influence the undecideds against McCain and to stop any momentum.

I remember something like this happening with George Bush, 41, against Bill Clinton. Just as Bush started getting some momentum, Dan Rather and Ted Kopple came out with the story that George Bush had secretly met with the Iranians to delay the release of the American hostages until Reagan was in office. This story seemed to destroy any come-back, and put the Bush campaign on the defensive.

I'm no prophet, but ... watch for this in 2008.

Told Ya!

2008-10-20T06:20:00.003-04:00

The "Criminalization of Christianity" - read about it here. It is not far in the future, folks, that Christians will be imprisoned in this country because of theological convictions. This is how things started in Nazi-Germany: very slowly, using ridicule, then laws for "good things," then gradually increasing limitations.

WOW!

2008-10-14T07:32:00.003-04:00

Cleveland Browns - 35

Super Bowl Champions New York Football Giants - 14

Unbelievable!

Can Fascism Be Far Behind?

2008-10-13T12:02:00.008-04:00

I've been listening on cd to Jonah Goldberg's Liberal Fascism, a fascinating book that roots modern American liberalism/progressivism not in Jeffersonian classical liberalism but in Italian fascism, German Nazism, and Marxism/Leninism, progressive movements all. In each of these movements, suppression of dissent was paramount, even under the (very progressive) Wilson administration! Compare this tendency of progressive movements to some reports on the Drudge Report today: here, here, and here.

This is a disconcerting trend. I've thought for years that here in America my grandchildren would have to face persecution for Christian/conservative/traditional beliefs; now, I'm wondering if my CHILDREN will face this. In some ways, maybe I will face this persecution. Once these hounds of intolerance have been released, who will reign them in?

As Michael Barone predicts, we may be seeing the beginning of a liberal "thugocracy."

Obama's Associations: Dangerous?

2008-10-11T10:59:00.002-04:00

Charles Krauthammer's new column makes many of the same points I made in my previous post about Obama's character and associations. Read it here. Why do the MSM never ask these difficult questions?

Why I Cannot Vote for Barak H. Obama

2008-10-02T00:53:00.001-04:00

WARNING: Long post!

I want to explain my reasoning behind why I think Barak Hussein Obama (henceforth, BHO) would not be good for this country. Of course, I speak as an individual, not as a representative of my church or the educational institution where I work. I have tried to watch and read as much as I can, and now that the election is nearing, I want to state some of my conclusions.

Let’s start with the positive. Cleary BHO is an energetic, good-looking, younger man with wide personal appeal. He is often articulate. He can be an inspiring speaker (when using a teleprompter). He is clearly a popular figure. He’s the first serious African-American candidate in American history, and I am genuinely excited about that. At first, he seemed to be a different kind of Af-Am candidate. He is appealing to the optimism and hope of young people. These are good things. I hold no personal animus toward BHO; in fact, between the two candidates, I’m much more irked by John McCain than BHO!

Speaking of John McCain, I need to say one more thing before I begin in earnest. One should not construe my strong criticism for BHO as strong support for a McCain presidency. I am very disappointed with the field of candidates the GOP put forward for this election. There were few strong leaders in the mix; I suspect most GOP heavyweights considered the election lost anyway, whether the candidate was Hillary or Obama, “So why,” they thought, “get a giant loss on my record? I’ll wait.” McCain, of course, does not have much time to wait. In any case, let me be clear: I’m not a huge McCain fan.

Back to BHO: there are several categories of reasons why I cannot support him.

Political Issues
The first is perhaps obvious: he’s a Democrat. Don’t laugh. I don’t associate with the Republican Party because I flipped a coin. I have reasons for voting the way I do, and when I look at issues, I usually side with the Republicans. Being a Democrat almost always sets a person at odds with what I believe. Look at what the Democratic Party stands for. I disagree with most of it. Why would I want to vote for a Democrat, no matter how popular, good looking or well-spoken s/he is? In general, I think Democrats are bad for the country, so why should I change my mind because of this particular candidate?

Dislike of America
Recently, in response to a question from a 7-year old girl, BHO said he’s running for president because American is not what it used to be, not what it once was. He has criticized his country in Germany. He often compares the United States negatively to other countries, even dictatorships! His association with Ayers and Dohrn (more on this below) again shows an alignment with people who hate this nation. Comments from BHO’s wife Michelle are also very disheartening. Is my country really all that bad? Are Americans bad people? BHO seems to think so. Despite his “hopeful” rhetoric, BHO spends much more time denigrating the United States than speaking positively of our accomplishments. I like my country; I don’t want as my president someone who doesn’t like it.

Foreign Support
BHO enjoys considerable support from abroad. Why should this matter? We are not electing a “king of the world.” Should we really think that non-Americans (e.g., Europeans, Asians, Africans) have the best interests of the United States in mind? Are they thinking of our security or of our economic prosperity? It might be one small factor to consider – the president is the face of the nation abroad – but that is a minor factor. In fact, when I consider what most non-Americans want from the US, I would be more likely to choose the candidate less popular overseas. Is an endorsement from Hamas really a good thing? Should we care what the French or the Germans think about our candidates? Are the endorsements of socialists and communist party leaders a good thing?

Lack of Experience
BHO has never run a business or been the executive officer of anything. A “community organizer” in the suburbs of Chicago is not significant experience for being the President of the United States. BHO said at the Saddleback Church Forum that he would not have nominated Justice Clarence Thomas for SCOTUS, based on his lack of experience. However, Justice Thomas had far, FAR, more experience than BHO has. As Hugh Hewitt said, “No corporation would make Obama CEO, and few states would elect him governor on his resume.” Some have criticized the McCain/Palin ticket for inexperience at the VP spot. Truth be told, Sarah Palin has more executive experience than BHO, and she’s running for VP, not President.

Not A Unifier
Despite all the rhetoric about being a unifier, BHO has never demonstrated bi-partisanship. Could a BHO supporter name ANY example of when he departed significantly from the stand of his own party? Has he sponsored ANY legislation that garnered broad bi-partisan appeal? McCain has demonstrated much more ability to cross the aisle and come together with members of the other party in order to achieve what he thinks is a greater good. BHO has never done this: never.

Judgment Issues
It bothers me that some BHO’s inner circle consists of people I would probably not even welcome into my home.

It began with Rev. Jeremiah Wright. I understand that BHO does not subscribe to everything his pastor believes; I could say the same with reference to my pastor. However, my pastor has never uttered the kind of vitriol and anti-Americanism that I’ve heard from Wright. Nor would he use the kind of language Wright uses. The church BHO attends is not about building bridges. BHO knew the kind of church he was attending, and he continued to do so for 20 years. This demonstrates to me BHO’s inability to assess accurately the effects of his associations; BHO lacks judgment.

[As an aside, I think the whole Jeremiah Wright affair has set race relations in this country back about 30 years. What became clear is that many African Americans, as exemplified by the thousands who attend Wright’s church, are comfortable with a Wright-style of rhetoric, complete with racially charged language and sexual innuendo. As a result, many white people, who were comfortable with BHO as a candidate, believing the media-hyped persona that he was a different kind of Af-Am candidate (not a Jesse Jackson white-hater), became deeply disillusioned by the whole Wright affair. Perhaps BHO is not so different after all. In fact, maybe the supposed relational progress between blacks and whites in general is just a charade. The trust that many white people have developed with their black fellow-Americans was threatened, because now, it is clear that some African Americans can be cordial to their face, but on Sunday morning, can imbibe with approval such racially charged rhetoric. Far from being a unifier, BHO, quite unintentionally, has ended up being a divider.]

But the troubling associations do not end there. What about BHO’s associations with William Ayers and Bernadine Dohrn? This husband/wife team was part of the radical leftist organization called Weather Underground, a group which endorsed violence and declared war on the US government during the Vietnam era of the 1960’s. As far as I know, this couple has never expressed remorse about or renounced their previous commitments and actions. The connection between BHO and Ayers/Dohrn is still becoming clearer and clearer. At the very least, we know that Ayers contributed to BHO’s reelection campaign in Illinois; they live near one another in the Hyde Park area of Chicago and served on some committees together. As I am writing this, however, evidence is emerging that perhaps the relationship between these two is closer than BHO is willing to discuss publically. The charge is not that BHO believes or endorses everything Ayers/Dohrn do. The charge, from my perspective, is that BHO is content to associate with, in any sense, people who endorse such a radical, leftist agenda. Let’s reverse it: suppose John McCain had some loose associations with some former Nazis, or KKK members. Let’s say they gave him a little money for his presidential campaign and they served on a few boards together. Would it be a good defense simply to say something like, “Well, he doesn’t subscribe to those views”? I don’t want my president anywhere near such groups, on the right or the left. I think it is safe to say that at least BHO enjoys a political friendship with Ayers/Dohrn, and perhaps more. To me, this is big a problem: either BHO lacks the ability to make accurate character judgments, or he comfortably associates with radicals who hate America.

Finally, I draw attention to BHO’s associations with real estate developer Tony Rezko. This man was convicted of fraud and bribery in 2008. He is clearly a political operative in Chicago, and he has raised money for all sorts of politicians, including Republicans, even George Bush! My complaint is not that, because Rezko raised money for BHO and was subsequently convicted of fraud/bribery, therefore BHO is guilty of shady activities. Rather, my complaint is that BHO is comfortable in his dealings with men like Rezko. The Obamas and the Rezkos bought some adjoining real estate together and, from what I have been able to gather, clearly enjoyed a cozy political/financial relationship. Again, the issue is judgment.

Economic Policies
The American government spends too much money. Obama wants to spend more. He has gone on record stating that he intends to raise taxes. He claims to intend to raise taxes only on the “wealthiest” Americans, but we know from other politicians (and Obama is just another politician) that this kind of promise quickly melts away. Taxes destroy the earning power of individuals, ruin incentives to be successful, and slow the economy. Our economy is too fragile right now to jeopardize it with increased taxes. He also wants to raise the estate tax, which means the government can take more from people’s estate when they die, which means their descendents get less and less of the estate. Under an Obama presidency, taxes will increase, at a variety of levels, and spending will balloon out of control. This is what led to the horrible economic conditions of the Carter years. We can’t afford Obama; he’s simply too expensive.

Foreign Policy Issues
BHO exhibits laughable naiveté, or worse, in his policy on Iraq. His ad with the mantra “We can stop a war,” complete with glazed-eyed young people, is insulting. There are huge international issues at stake here, and yes, oil is one of them, but it is not the only one. American presence in the Middle East is almost a necessity. He has only begrudgingly admitted that the surge has brought about significant security improvement. He has refused to admit that the Maliki government has reached about 12 of the 18 political benchmarks that his party demanded. He has continued to cater to the radical fringe of his party. McCain’s statement that “Obama would rather lose a war in order to win a political campaign” rings true for me. BHO does not support a strong American; rather, he wants a weak, apologetic America. I agree that our nation has made errors and mistakes in our dealings with other nations, but it is not a sign of strength and confidence to duck and run, to apologize everywhere, and to act guilty. Our country does far more good than evil.

Moral Issues
Abortion: BHO has an extremely anti-life voting record from both his time as a state senator and his brief time in the US Senate. I realize that many people accuse “pro-lifers” (or “anti-abortionists”) of single-issue voting, but the fact remains that the consistent destruction of our future is a human rights issue, and BHO fails to demonstrate any ability to rethink the radical policies of his party. Forget abortion on demand; forget partial-birth abortion; BHO has even voted to support the intentional killing of humans who have survived attempted abortions, which is essentially a form of infanticide. I cannot, in good conscience, vote for a candidate who defends these practices. The Democratic Party platform of making abortion “safe, legal, and rare” is a lie (this year they have even taken out the word “rare”). The only part they actually support is the middle one. Democrats have opposed every attempt to regulate the safety and health standards of the abortion industry as well as any attempt to limit its destructive effects, even parental notification laws. BHO shows no sign whatsoever of being a new kind of candidate on this issue.

He has pledged to sign the “Freedom of Choice Act” as one of his first acts as president. This would wipe away all state restrictions on abortion funding. He will force all taxpayers to pay for abortions. He advocates no restrictions on late-term abortions or any kind of abortions.

Homosexuality: This is a complex moral issue currently facing our body politic, but, true to the radical policies of the Democratic Party, BHO supports the complete legalization of gay marriage, equating lesbian and gay relationships with heterosexual marriage. There is room, in my opinion, for talking about various proposals for recognizing the legality of domestic partnerships, and the like, but to redefine – legally – an institution as fundamental as marriage is not something to be done lightly. I’ve not even begun to talk about the Biblical aspects here. Whenever a culture seeks to endorse and approve, let alone recognize and permit, something that Scripture clearly proscribes, that culture, at one point or another, sooner or later, will reap negative effects. I oppose the legalization of gay marriage; BHO supports it; ergo, I oppose the candidacy of BHO.

Conclusion
BHO’s candidacy is certainly historic. I think Americans should be happy that an Af-Am candidate has been put forward by a major party as its nominee. But I don’t think we should vote on the basis of race, or gender; we should vote policy. No matter how much we may like BHO, his policies are not good for this country.

Many of my readers are probably thinking of John McCain’s many faults as they read my words here. I am not saying John McCain is the ideal candidate. I have several problems with him, and I would probably not have chosen him to be the candidate for the GOP. But, despite his negatives, and despite the mistakes I think John McCain will make, I still believe he will make a far, far better president than the junior senator from Illinois.

A Simple Question!

2008-09-26T07:47:00.003-04:00

Check this out:

Met at [his Senate office] door by a few reporters, [Barack Obama] answered a key question — at least for his generation.
"Beatles or Stones?" asked a Congressional Quarterly reporter.
"Stones," Obama replied.

How sick!

I would have answered, "The Statler Brothers!"

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Obama and the Media

2008-09-26T07:34:00.004-04:00

I couldn't agree more with this op-ed piece in the Washington Times. Our media have never been very objective, but this year, it seems ridiculous.

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Hilarious! The Lipstick Brigades!

2008-09-16T11:36:00.002-04:00

Read about this campaign event in Colorado here. It is where I got this picture.

Heavy Handed Redacting!

2008-09-14T18:28:00.004-04:00

The edits out of the interview between Charlie Gibson and Governor Palin are laughable. ABC did its best to portray Governor Palin as a Bambi-like ignoramus. Look at what was edited out here at Mark Levin's website. Amazing. This much is clear: they don't know how to handle this woman, but it is clear what they want to do with her. [picture] Perhaps the McCain/Palin team should have agreed to the interview only if ABC played it in its entirety. The McCain/Palin team should have also demanded to have a copy of their own.

Pretty Sad When A "Truth Squad" is Necessary

2008-09-10T11:51:00.003-04:00

McCain-Palin has had to assemble a "Truth Squad" to counter the dis-information of the Obama-Biden smear campaign. Read about it here, and see who the members are.

Free advice to Obama-Biden: "Don't go there!" I would not want to get on the wrong side of that list of women.

Palin News

2008-09-10T07:56:00.007-04:00

Here's a realistic appraisal of Palin's background, written by a Brit who's lived in Alaska.

Here's a response to many of the rumors flying around about Palin, at Newsweek, of all places!

I was happy with the choice, but I'm surprised at two things:

1) how much the left hates her guts;

2) how effective she has been at re-energizing the Republican party.

I'm amazed. GO SARAH!

UPDATE: Ohio campaign sign:

America Respects John McCain;

America Loves Sarah Palin

Absolutely Brilliant! The Election is Over

2008-08-29T12:45:00.015-04:00

Barak Obama just lost the election. Read about this amazing woman here and here.

Here is a list of some important blog posts about Governor Palin. Here's an article by Fred Barnes about Gov Palin's reform work in Alaska.

UPDATE:

Read this article. I laughed my head off!

Here's an excerpt:

It's as though Karl Rove sat down with pen and paper and sketched out the perfect conservative nominee....
A hunter with a lifetime membership in the NRA.
Regularly attends church.
Fought corruption even within her own party.
Knew her son would have Down Syndrome and still chose life.
Has a son who is headed to Iraq, but still supports the war.
Has more executive experience than Obama and Biden combined.
Sold the governor's state plane because it's a waste of tax dollars.
Her husband is a union laborer.
Wants to drill in ANWR.
Oh yeah, she's a woman!

For a collection of more discussion of the McCain/Palin ticket, follow Hugh Hewitt's links here.

UPDATE:

Here's the link to a story in the British TimesOnline. Pretty fair, though there were a few potshots. I really loved the comments. They are about 5-1 in favor of Palin. I think McCain succeeded in energizing not only his ticket, and the convention, but the whole Republican party!

More praise - it keeps pouring in. Here (Fred Barnes), here (Bill Kristol), and look at all the blog postings at BeldarBlog! And here's a often humorous comparison between Palin and Obama.

Still Trouble in Georgia

2008-08-25T11:02:00.004-04:00

In my opinion, this is a flag we should all become familiar with. It is the Georgian flag. Recent reports are that the Russian army has pulled out significantly but not to pre-invasion marks. They also have not left the port of Poti, the main deep water, commercial port along Georgia's west coast.

What is Russia gaining here? It seems Moscow is intent on flexing its muscle in its previous, Soviet-era, sphere of influence. With most of the West busy with other issues, like Iraq and Iran, and with most of Europe dependent on Russian oil, Moscow thinks the time is right for a re-assertion of influence. The West has no desire to go to war with Russia, so what have they got to lose?

This picture, of a Russian soldier on the road between Tbilisi and Gori, pretty well sums it up.

Very Interesting Article

2008-08-25T08:00:00.002-04:00

I found an excellent article about Rick Warren in the Wall Street Journal (thanks to Justin Taylor at "Between Two Worlds"). The gist of the article is that the huge "lurch to the political left" that evangelicals are supposedly doing is a farce. The MSM have interpreted an interest among evangelicals in environmental issues, poverty, and disease as an embracing of a leftist agenda. This interpretation, though, only reveals the bias of the interpreters. Why assume that government is the only solution? Rick Warren makes clear that a person can both be passionate about such "liberal" issues AND be someone who strongly believes in limited government. Why is this so hard to understand?

Here's a key quote:

Over the years, [Warren] has repeated the idea that he became a pastor instead of a politician because he does not have a lot of confidence in the ability of government to get things done. In addition to social issues and foreign policy, this is where evangelicals often part ways with more secular types.
The media assume that when religious people express interest in the problems of poverty and disease, they must have taken a left turn politically. But one can be interested in solving such problems without believing that government is the solution. "Our government has spent trillions of dollars in Africa," says Mr. Warren, "and the standard of living is worse now than it was 50 years ago." He knows whereof he speaks, having launched a massive effort to help the country of Rwanda rebuild itself. "There is only one way to get people out of poverty and it's not charity. It's jobs."

Read the whole article here.

The Most Heroic Moments in British History

2008-08-08T07:25:00.003-04:00

Here's the results from a TimesOnline survey:

Battle of Britain - 55%

Declaration of War on Nazi Germany in 1939 - 20.8%

Defeat of the Spanish Armada - 8.9%

Slave Trade Act - 5.9%

Napoleonic Wars - 5.4%

Oliver Cromwell - 3.3%

King Alfred's Danish Wars (huh?) - 2.8%

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Charles Williams Quote

2008-08-07T11:44:00.004-04:00

On my way to Sri Lanka, I read a book by one of the "inklings," Charles Williams, called The Place of the Lion. It didn't do much for me - I probably didn't understand most of it - but I did find an interesting quote, on the first page no less. I should've have stopped reading then.

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Mightn't it be a good thing if everyone had to draw a map of his own mind - say, once every five years? With the chief towns marked, and the arterial roads he was constructing from one idea to another, and all the lovely and abandoned by-lanes that he never went down, because the farms they led to were all empty?

Movie Reviews

2008-07-28T19:20:00.010-04:00

It's movie month at my house! We signed up for Blockbuster's movie pass for one month. We can check out two movies at a time, as many times as we want, all for the low, low price of about $30. Here's a partial review...hopefully, more to come.

10,000 B.C.

I watched this movie with the family, and we all liked it. It was a good escape, including elements such as adventure, tension, romance, etc. I especially liked its ancient setting. I felt like I was watching an episode of "Age of Empires." In the West, we forget that for most of human existence, life has been very fragile and violent, might making right, ubiquitous evil and cruelty. Although that exists in much of the world, we generally don't fear a clan of mauraders sweeping down from, say, Canada, or up from Mexico, killing, burning, raping and pillaging anything in their way. In this movie, that is exactly what the characters face. I liked it.

Vantage Point

Again, a hit. I love the intrigue of an assassination, international violence, conspiracy, plots, etc. We were all on the edge of our seats for most of the movie. I liked how the various perspectives of the movie were gradually assembled to create the full story. Well done.

Rails and Ties

A nice, warm fuzzy, feel good movie starring Kevin Bacon and Marcia Gay Harden. A train engineer's wife has terminal cancer and after some tragic events, the engineer and his wife have to care for a little boy who starts to live with them. Again, I liked it, though it was a bit syrup-y at points. It showed how people deal with pain and death and tragedy. In one particular scene, a social worker has to choose between doing what is technically legal and what is morally right. She chooses the right (which I think is unusual for social workers). Sometimes rules have to be broken to achieve a greater good.

There Will Be Blood

This movie got a lot of hype from the industry and the media, probably because it demonizes capitalism, oil companies, and Christianity. Putting all that bias aside, I still did not care for the movie. Daniel Day-Lewis is good, but the story itself did not grip me. I was repulsed by the religious hypocrisy and I was disgusted at the callous heart of Daniel Plainview, the oilman. There were points I got bored. I couldn't keep my daughter interested either. It tries to be an epic, but I don't think it succeeds.

Jumper

Yeah, not much to say here. Nice premise, but the movie did not deliver.

The Death of Protestant America

2008-07-24T12:27:00.002-04:00

Please read this essay: "The Death of Protestant America: A Political Theory of the Protestant Mainline." It is available at _First Things_: Here's the link. I especially hope you young people read it. The author, Joseph Bottum, offers a great survey of religion (Christianity) and its influence in American, and in doing so, describes an American that few of you young people have ever seen, let alone remember.

His conclusion is worth thinking about: the only voices left in America that can provide a "national conscience" are Catholicism and Evangelicalism, both of which, in his opinion, have too many problems. Please read the essay.

Obama's Narcissism Knows No Ends

2008-07-18T14:57:00.004-04:00

Another devestaing critique of Barak Hussein Obama by the ever sharp Charles Krauthammer. When Obama wants to speak at the Brandenburg Gate, Krauthammer observes:

What Obama does not seem to understand is that the Brandenburg Gate is something you earn. President Ronal Reagan earned the right to speak there because his relentless pressure had brought the Soviet empire to its knees and he was demanding its final "tear down this wall" liquidation. When President John F. Kennedy visited the Brandenburg Gate on the day of his "Ich bin ein Berliner" speech, he was representing a country that was prepared to go to the brink of nuclear war to defend West Berlin.
Who is Obama representing? And what exactly has he done in his lifetime to merit appropriating the Brandenburg Gate as a campaign prop? What was his role in the fight against communism, the liberation of Eastern Europe, the creation of what George Bush the elder -- who presided over the fall of the Berlin Wall but modestly declined to go there for a victory lap -- called "a Europe whole and free"?

Read the rest here.

IMHO, self-absorption is a serious disqualification for the highest office in the land.

ATTN: Obama Freaks!

2008-07-02T10:55:00.002-04:00

Here's a nice post by Hugh Hewitt on contrasting BO with John McCain. Read it here.

The Fourth of July celebrations will get underway for many Americans with an early getaway today. At picnics and backyard barbecues across the country the conversation will turn to politics, and particularly to Barack Obama. ...

"More Privileges than Any POWs in History"

2008-06-30T10:43:00.002-04:00

The testimony of a former JAG officer:
"Gitmo detainees are given more privileges than any POWs in history" (not verbatim quote, but very close).
Watch the video here.

GAFCON Statement

2008-06-30T10:21:00.002-04:00

Here's the GAFCON statement in full. I was very encouraged by it. I think something very interesting has begun in the Anglican communion. I wish I could be a part of it...

Brothers and Sisters in Christ: We, the participants in the Global Anglican Future Conference, send you greetings from Jerusalem!

Read the whole thing here.

I'm Baaaaaaaaaack!

2008-06-30T10:08:00.003-04:00

After about a month hiatus - I was on a teaching trip to Sri Lanka - I'm back and hope to make some posts soon. Of course, we're off again soon for a short vacation. For reasons of my own, I decided not to blog about my trip.

"The Cup Is In The House!!!!"

2008-06-02T14:07:00.002-04:00

TONIGHT...REDWINGS VERSUS PENGUINS...
AND THE CUP IS IN THE HOUSE! WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! GET CUP CRAZY!"

IJ & Crystal Skull: "I Want My Money Back!"

2008-05-27T09:14:00.004-04:00

WARNING: spoilers ahead.

I took my family to see "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" on Sunday night while we were on a short trip upstate. We stayed in "The Jameson Inn" on Clemson Road, then spent Memorial Day hiking to waterfalls near Walhalla. In any case, I spent $39 for this piece of entertainment. To be brief, I want my money back.

Clearly, the Indiana Jones franchise has "jumped the shark." Of course, IJ is known for his thrill-packed action sequences, but seeing a group of 4-5 people go over three consecutive South American Niagra-type waterfalls of over 50 feet each in a military style amphibious vehicle - all the while staying in or very near the vehicle - well, I checked out.

Picture

Also, the whole "alien" motif was, in my opinion, lame. Nice try.

IJ is known for action sequences with a supernatural element thrown in. "Raiders" was with Judaism; "Temple of Doom" was with some kind of tribal Hinduism (I think); "Last Crusade" was with Christianity; "Crystal Skull" was with extra-terrestrial life? I suppose the supernatural element had nowhere to go to gain my sympathies. But aliens? It didn't work. I would have been happier even with a "Scooby-Do" type "it looks supernatural but its really not" kinda thing.

Harrison Ford is old...like really OLD. Karen Allen as Marion Ravenwood, again, she is OLD. The magic was not there, though I liked the "family" element, that Indy and Marion had conceived a son together. I thought that was kinda cute.

The Russians were nice enemies, though again, the Nazis are simply too much fun to hate. I can't quite hate the Russians in the same way.

The Cate Blanchett character, Irian Spalko, was...just weird.

So, all in all, the romance was weak, the supernatural element was too fanciful, and the stunts unbelievable. IMHO, "Raiders" and "Last Crusade" are great; "Temple of Doom" and "Crystal Skull" are too dark or too weird/overdone.

Irmo High Principal Resigns Over Gay Club

2008-05-23T12:21:00.002-04:00

The principal of Irmo High School, here in Columbia (about 2 miles from my house!) resigned recently over the formation of a Gay-Straight Alliance Club in his school. Read the story here. He resigned because the club conflicts with his professional and religious beliefs. I respect his decision (he was apparently a popular principal), but I'm not sure that this is the right course of action. If every Christian did that, this would be an easy way to rid the government school system of Christians, just start up Gay-Straight Alliance Clubs and off go the Christians. Must we agree with everything the courts demand of us? In any case, my heart goes out to this man of conviction who has made a very difficult choice. (Photo from FOXNews website)

UPDATE: "Prince Caspian" Shocker!

2008-05-21T08:56:00.004-04:00

Could it be? Some are suggesting that the movie, "Prince Caspian," is actually BETTER than the book! GASP!

Fredrica Mathews Green writes an interesting piece in NRO. Her discussion ranges wide, touching other movies that were better than the books that inspired them. [BTW, she includes in that list _Lord of The Rings_, which will infuriate some philo-Tolkien-ists, but...I actually agree.]

Having reread the book so close to seeing the movie, I can see why she says Prince Caspian the movie is better than Prince Caspian the book. After finishing PC, I told my wife, "This is not the best of the Chronicles of Narnia." Green makes some of the same points I was thinking about. There actually isn't a whole lot of action in the book (one battle scene), whereas the movie has three major battles. It seems most of the book is taken up with the Pevensie children traveling to get to Prince Caspian, whereas the movie covers that journey pretty quickly.

John Mark Reynolds writes a positive review as well. He doesn't discuss how the movie trumps the film as much as Green does; rather, his is a reflection on how good the film was. I agree. My kids loved it, and I want to go see it again.

"Prince Caspian" Movie Review

2008-05-20T08:02:00.005-04:00

OK, so we all, the whole fam, went to see "Prince Caspian" on Saturday. We had actually just watched LWW again that morning, so the first volume was fresh in my mind.

(CAUTION: there will be some spoilers ahead!)

First, I was impressed by the action. For the first 20 minutes, I felt like the movie grabbed me by the throat and wouldn't let go! Very good.

Second, the fight scenes were much better than LWW. They kept the lighting dark, which was one of my complaints against LWW in which the big battle scene was so "sunny" that I thought they should be having a picnic rather than fighting a war with the White Witch. This time, Adamson kept things dark which added to the realism and other worldliness of Narnia.

Third, they took certain liberties with the story-line, but all in all, I was not disappointed in what they did. For example, the book starts out with the four children at the train station, but the movie begins with Caspian's flight from the castle. They also added later a fight scene at the castle which does not appear in the book at all. Nevertheless, it was well done. There is a very moving scene in that section of a minotaur holding up the gate of the castle so many his comrades can escape. My kids all spoke of that scene later when we shared our opinions of the movie.

Fourth, there was some romantic tension between Queen Susan and Prince Caspian during the whole movie, but at the end, it all comes out and Queen Susan goes up to the prince (now King!) and lays one on the lips! It was a bit shocking at first, but as I thought about it, it was appropriate. Peter and Susan aren't children any more, and that scene underscored the maturity of the older two Pevensie children.

Which leads me to this: Fifth, I was surprised how attached I've become to these actors/actresses who portray the Pevensies. When Peter and Susan announce they won't be coming back, I got all teared up. It was kind of a "Puff the Magic Dragon" moment; they are too old for Narnia now. All my affection for these literary characters has been transferred to these young actors; I suppose that means they have done their jobs well!

Sixth, the guy who played the dwarf Trumpkin was amazing. You'll know what I mean when you see it.

Some differences between the book and the movie

I reread the book yesterday so I could contrast it with the movie while the movie was still fresh in my mind. Here's a summary of prominent contrasts:

The book starts with the four whereas the movie begins with Caspian's ride.

The book sets the train station as a small country station with no one else present; the movie sets the train station in busy London and the scene is one of chaos (and therefore Peter's fight with other students is totally created; I don't know why. Peter comes out looking rather bad in the movie.)

The book devotes considerable space to the relationship between Caspian and his tutor, Dr. Cornelius. The movie barely develops Dr. Cornelius at all.

When Caspian is found, the book puts three (Trumpkin, Nikakbrik and Trufflehunter) in a cave; the movie puts only Nik and Truff, and it is in a tree, not a cave.

Chapter VI there is a prominent scene of fawns dancing; there's no dancing, that I remember, in the movie.

In the book, Caspian blows the horn after some initial battles with King Miraz's forces; in the movie, he blows the horn almost immediately, when he is still riding away from the castle.

The book devotes considerable space to Trumpkin and the children rowing in a boat to get off the island. I don't remember much rowing at all in the movie. The whole travel sequence is abbreviated.

In the book, the bridge at Beruna simply disappears, whereas in the movie, the bridge is the scene of another battle.

Well, there are many more differences, but these are illustrative. I think the spirit of the book was preserved, even if a few liberties were taken here and there. All in all, WELL DONE! This is better than "LWW," and I hope "Voyage of the Dawn Treader" (my personal favorite) (2010) will be better still.

A Fetus's Worst Nightmare

2008-05-20T07:48:00.003-04:00

Check out this post at "Between Two Worlds" on Barak Obama's abortion commitments. Frightening. Horrific.

12 Spiritual Lessons from Prince Caspian

2008-05-16T15:14:00.004-04:00

I thought this was a great article, written by Kris Rasmussen. Read it here. The movie opens today, I believe.

I'm summarizing the 12 main points here, but the whole thing is worth the read.

1. Time Really Is Relative.

2. Let Go of Great Expectations.

3. Faith Shouldn't Be Decided by a Majority Vote.

4. Hang on to Faith in a Culture of Doubt.

5. Fear Not, for God is With You.

6. Be Thankful for Blessings in Disguise.

7. Make Time to Enjoy God's Presence.

8. Actions Can Have Lasting Consequences.

9. Vanity Corrupts Character.

10. Loyalty and Sacrifice will be Rewarded.

11. Stick Close to Your Spiritual Family.

12. Leaders Are Made, Not Born.

So Much for Separation of Church and State

2008-05-16T15:10:00.004-04:00

This flyer says it all. Unbelievable. Find it here.

"Over A Barrel" - Ariel Cohen article

2008-05-13T15:25:00.004-04:00

Today on the Rush Limbaugh show, Rush read a column by Ariel Cohen, who is Research Fellow in Russian and Eurasian Studies at the Davis International Studies Institute at the Heritage Foundation. He is a specialist in Russian, Turkish, and Israeli issues. Here's the first paragraph:

As you go deep into debt filling up your tank with $4 gas this weekend, look on the bright side - you're helping to fund countries that hate you.

Read the whole article here. His analysis is, imho, excellent, as was Rush's commentary.

Here's his conclusion:

To stave it off and to combat its oil-rich adversaries, the US needs, in the short term, to expand its domestic energy sector. Increasing oil and gas production in the West, along the Pacific and Atlantic continental shelf, and in Alaska will help, and so will a coal and nuclear power build-up.

The US Congress should also abolish corn ethanol subsidy and lift tariffs on the really competitive ethanol made from sugar cane. Brazil and Africa can produce more ethanol than Iowa and Nebraska. However, in the long term, more advanced technological solutions are vital to stem the global wealth redistribution to OPEC potentates and other America-haters.

Narnia Character Quiz

2008-05-12T18:41:00.003-04:00

I'm Prince Caspian; so is my son, Andrew. Who are you?

Find out here.

Israel at Sixty

2008-05-06T09:25:00.003-04:00

May 15th, 1948 is "Independence Day" for Israel, so this year will mark the 60th anniversary. Jeffrey Goldberg at The Atlantic.com has written a thoughtful reflection on Israel's present state. Read it here. Here's one quote, from a prominent Israeli writer:

“[Prime Minister of Israel] Olmert is paralyzed because the people are paralyzed,” A. B. Yehoshua said. “The whole country is paralyzed.”

The article discusses many issues, especially the war in Lebanon in 2006, the settlements in the West Bank, Hamas/Hezbollah/Fatah, the Two State solution, the recent killings at a Jerusalem yeshiva, and the current angst among Israelis. The article focuses especially on a rift between PM Ehud Olmert and a prominent Israeli novelist, David Grossman, who lost his son Uri in the war in Lebanon. The article is a bit long, but very informative.

As I read it, I was struck by the wide spectrum of opinion among Israelis, which, in one sense, is nothing unusual. However, I was struck by how similar the situation is today to the First century. In Israel today, we see ultra-leftists, concerned with human rights, etc., calling for reconciliation with the Palestinians. On the other hand, we see the intransigent and recalcitrant Jewish settlers who will never leave the West Bank and for whom compromise is equivalent to religious apostacy and national treason. Caught in the middle are many, many families - on both sides, Jew/Arab - trying to live their lives in relative peace and prosperity.

In a sense, not much has changed. Think of the situation in the First century. We had the ultra-leftists, who advocated compromise with Rome and the hard-line zealots, who advocated open rebellion.

The Attraction of Liturgy

2008-05-02T23:28:00.002-04:00

An article in CT discusses briefly the attraction liturgy has for evangelicals. Here's a quote:

The worship leaders wear medieval robes and guide the congregation through a ritual that is anything but spontaneous; they lead music that is hundreds of years old; they say prayers that are scripted and formal; the homily is based on a 2,000-year-old book; and the high point of the service is taken up with eating the flesh and drinking the blood of a Rabbi executed in Israel when it was under Roman occupation. It doesn't sound relevant.

Read the whole thing here. The article did not discuss why I am attracted to liturgy though.

Evangelical Political Involvement?

2008-05-02T09:51:00.003-04:00

Joe Carter, whose blog is one of the leading Christian voices in the blogosphere, writes that evangelicals in the political process are like unicorns: powerful in the imagination, but factually non-existent. Here's a powerful pull quote:

More Christians voted for the 5th place contestant on last week's American Idol than have petitioned to defund abortion mills.

Ouch! Read the whole thing here.

Something Beautiful Has Begun

2008-04-11T08:23:00.003-04:00

Peggy Noonan, one of my favorite columnists, and a catholic, has written a piece (here's the link) contrasting Pope John Paul II with Benedict XVI. "Something beautiful has begun." Perhaps so. Here's my favorite graph:

John Paul made you burst into tears. Benedict makes you think. It is more pleasurable to weep, but at the moment, perhaps it is more important to think.

That would be nice, to have a thinking church for a change.

Sex Ed on Campus

2008-04-07T11:30:00.002-04:00

Here's a great column on the sexuality of today's college-aged students. Read it at the WSJ. Here's a sample:
After conducting a national college survey of over 2,500 students, I found that among those who reported "hooking up" -- a range of sexually intimate acts, from kissing to intercourse, that occur outside a committed relationship -- at Catholic and nonreligious private and public colleges and universities, 41% are profoundly upset about their behavior.

I'm going to have to chat about this a bit, but right now I've got to go. More later.

The Myth of Obama

2008-04-07T11:09:00.001-04:00

Charles Krauthammer's new column mentions, among other things, the "myth of Obama."
Read it here.

Excellent Column Comparing MLK and BHO

2008-04-04T15:06:00.004-04:00

Here's a great column by Juan Williams comparing/contrasting MLK to and with Barak Hussein Obama. He has expressed some of my own concerns.

Here is a key graph:

So far, Mr. Obama has been content to let black people have their vision of him while white people hold to a separate, segregated reality. He is a politician and, unlike King, his goal is winning votes, not changing hearts. Still, it is a key break from the King tradition to sell different messages to different audiences based on race, and to fail to challenge racial divisions in the nation.

Read the whole thing. It is well done.

UPDATE:

Another column by Richard John Neuhaus, at First Things, is also very sensitive and well written. In his opinion, the whole Obama/Wright issue is setting back race relations in this country, and I agree.

A Huge Decision for Conservative Anglican Churches

2008-04-04T09:44:00.006-04:00

A court in Virginia has apparently ruled that conservative churches which broke away from the national church over issues related to human sexuality can keep their property and assets. Here's the story in the WaTimes. This is the largest case of its kind in the US. Here are some blog reactions: from Stand Firm, Transfigurations, and here's the whole decision (in .pdf format).

UPDATE:

More responses: VirtueOnline, from the Anglican District of Virginia (ADV), and from the TimesOnline. Now from the Office of the Presiding Bishop, and from Christianity Today.

Eliot Spitzer and Barak Obama: Profiles in Hypocrisy

2008-03-29T12:32:00.002-04:00

The recent revelations about the private life of ex-governor Eliot Spitzer and the recent revelations about the convictions of Barak Obama’s pastor, Jeremiah Wright, have a common denominator: hypocrisy.

The whole Eliot Spitzer affair (no pun intended) is disappointing on several fronts. First, his professional reputation was made, among other things, by aggressively going after those involved in prostitution. To find out that he himself was involved in prostitution at that very time, is the height of hypocrisy. The public has a reasonable expectation that law enforcement officials who hold others to the law are doing so themselves. Spitzer has helped create the illusion that strong “law and order” type prosecutors are actually living outside the law themselves. A similar thing happens when some pastor who preaches strongly about sexual morality is himself a closet homosexual or serial adulterer. These kinds of events create the impression that no one really lives a moral life. It is an unusual application of the old rabbinic hermeneutical rubric that reasons from the harder case to the easier: “if it is not so in this case (and it should be), how much more is it not so in this case (where the expectation is not so high).” If even a prominent prosecutor, who more than the average person should be living a law abiding, moral life, does not, then how much more so should we expect that the average person does not live a law abiding, moral life.

Second, the Spitzer affair is painful on the personal front. Think of the shame that he has brought down upon his precious wife, a kind-hearted, Baptist, North Carolinian who has spent significant resources contributing to charity and teaching her daughters the importance of thinking of others. Did his wife really not know about his sexual escapades? If she didn’t know, she looks naïve and gullible; if she did know, she is a willing participant in the charade. What a sad situation to put one’s loved one in. Think of the shame he has brought upon his daughters, who will now forever be known as the daughter of a disgraced governor. Think of his wider family, his friends, his associates who believed in him and in what he was trying to do. These are all casualties of flawed moral decisions.

Finally, the Spitzer affair is saddening when you consider the individual, the man Eliot Spitzer. What was he thinking? What drives a man to engage in such reckless, self-destructive behavior? Sex? I suspect it was that, but also much more. There is something deep within, something deeply wrong, that drives a person to risk so much for so little. A bright future – possibly the first Jewish president, I heard one commentator say – has vanished amid the jokes of late night talk show hosts.

The whole Spitzer affair can be summarized in one word: hypocrisy.

How does all this bring us to the Obama / Wright issue? Because, at its core, the problem is the same: hypocrisy.

Obama has cast himself as a person who transcends race. Being half-white/half-black himself, he certainly appears to be uniquely positioned to give expression to the best hopes and dreams of our nation, that people of all racial groups can settle and live here together and lead productive, prosperous lives. Barak has tapped into that dream, that hope, the deeply held conviction that our country is profoundly good. Here we do not find a Jesse Jackson like candidate, who is angry, and so race conscious. Here we find someone who appeals to both black and white people of all socio-economic and political perspectives. Barak portrays an America we like.

The recent revelations about the theology, the racial perspective, and the political convictions of Barak’s pastor have destroyed all those hopes and dreams. Some have attempted to pass this off as something inconsequential, that Barak doesn’t really hold to every conviction of his pastor. I can understand that, and at first I was inclined to believe it. However, much more has come to light since the story broke. I didn’t know that Barak had attended this particular church for 20 years; I didn’t know that Wright did Barak and Michelle’s wedding; I didn’t know that Wright baptized the Obama’s daughters; I didn’t know that the title of one of Barak’s books came from a Wright sermon; I didn’t know that Barak considers Wright a mentor. When all this information came out, I was deeply discouraged. Barak’s association with Wright is clearly neither distant nor minimal. When we heard the excerpts from Wright’s sermons, we began to realize that our picture of Obama was untrue. Barak is an angry man. His wife is angry. His pastor is angry. The racial reconciliation that we thought Obama embodied was a charade. Just as with Eliot Spitzer, we can ask this: if genuine racial reconciliation has not taken place in this case (and we thought it had), how much more should we not expect it in other cases. Obama is a hypocrite.

A Liberal Converts to Conservatism

2008-03-12T03:00:00.002-04:00

Read the article here, at, of all places, "The Village Voice." Playwrite David Mamet: I think he's in for a rude awakening, when he finds out how hateful people can be.

Bernard Lewis Interview

2008-03-08T20:49:00.004-05:00

What we are facing now is the third major threat to the world. The first was Nazism, the second Bolshevism and now this. There are parallels. Germany is a great nation, and German patriotism is a perfectly legitimate expression of the pride and loyalty Germans have for their country. But Nazism was a monstrous perversion of that and a curse to the Germans, as well as a threat to the rest of the world.

The aspiration for social betterment and social justice is very noble. But Bolshevism was a monstrous perversion of that, as well as a curse to Russia and a threat to the rest of the world.

Now we have a third similar situation. Islam is one of the great religions that sponsored one of the greatest civilizations in human history. But it has fallen into the hands of a group of people who are the equivalent of the Nazis and the Bolsheviks. They are a curse to their own people, as well as a threat to the rest of the world.

Here's the link.

British-born Bernard Lewis, renowned Arabist (and Jew!), was professor at Princeton. An interesting interview.

Terrorist Attack in Jerusalem

2008-03-06T16:24:00.005-05:00

A terrible terrorist attack occured today in West Jerusalem, in the area of Kiryat Moshe. Here are some important links to the story.

A Jerusalem Post article.

The BBC article.

FOXNews coverage.

UPDATE:

More BBC reporting here.

An article in Int'l Herald Trib.

Response from Hamas.

Graphic photos.

Take the Hermeneutics Quiz!

2008-03-05T08:08:00.003-05:00

I'm a "conservative" (surprise!). How do my former students score? Here's the link. (Hit the "take assessment" button.)

More News about Barak H. Obama

2008-03-01T17:14:00.004-05:00

Evangelicals for Barak H. Obama? See more discussion about the Democrat "wunderkind," BHO. See the post by Justin Taylor. He has some good discussion of Evangelicals and BHO.