Category Archives: News

Live the Trinity – into suspended animation?

Posted on July 22, 2011 by admin

I might have to take a page from the Red Stick Rant book and put this website into temporary(?) hibernation. The last 2 weeks have been working 10-12 hours/day which is fine. Hard work is part of congregational ministry. But … Continue reading →

Posted in Announcement, Art, Bible, Buddhism, Ethnicity and race, Hebrew Bible, Internationals and immigrants, Movies and film, New Testament, News, Opera, Politics, Science, Society and Culture | Comments Off

Falling prey to propaganda (or) Afternoon coffee

Posted on June 15, 2011 by admin

When enough media outlets pound us enough with the message that someone is odious or venal or stupid one starts to believe the propaganda. “Oh man sure hope Michele Bachmann does not become the Republican presidential candidate because she’s crazy … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, Economics, Media, News, Politics, Propaganda, Society and Culture, Women | Comments Off

The president’s new high score (or) Morning coffee

Posted on May 13, 2011 by admin

Remember Tucson? How heated political rhetoric was somehow responsible for the shootings? How even mentioning targeting could give someone ideas? Remember the fine (seriously) words President Obama spoke at the memorial service? Charles Krauthammer once again helps us understand better … Continue reading →

Posted in Internationals and immigrants, Issues, Media, News, Politics | Comments Off

Nonsense and solipsism (or) Morning coffee

Posted on April 29, 2011 by admin

Even if we disagree with an idea – even find it repellent – we must try to understand it on its own terms. In other words understand it as the person who holds that idea understands it. Otherwise we are … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Environment, Ethnicity and race, Logic and Reason, Media, News, Politics, Propaganda | Comments Off

Are people seeing it? (or) Morning coffee

Posted on April 26, 2011 by admin

I was impressed by the astute observations Andrew Malcolm of the Los Angeles Times makes in his recent article “The increasingly odd political optics of Barack Obama”. The former state senator may, in fact, be slaving away on 18-hour policy … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Logic and Reason, News, Politics, Propaganda | Comments Off

The psychology of evil and the confluence of sin and death, part II

Posted on March 11, 2011 by admin

“Left alone [Melkor/Morgoth] could only have gone raging on till all was levelled again into a formless chaos” – J. R. R. Tolkien (Morgoth’s Ring, 396) “The spirit in revolt consequently acquires a hatred of being, a frenzy to destroy, … Continue reading →

Posted in Abortion, Economics, Islam, Issues, Logic and Reason, News, Politics, Religion, Society and Culture, Theology | 2 Comments

Victor Davis Hanson – Appreciating teachers and the people whose taxes pay their salaries

Posted on February 28, 2011 by admin

My wife is a teacher and former state worker. Many relatives on my mother’s side of the family are teachers and public/state workers. For some reason almost no one on my father’s side is a teacher or public/state/government worker. And … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Education, Media, News, Personal, Politics | Comments Off

1.5^9 / 1^7 = $150,000 each (or) Parable of irresponsibility

Posted on February 16, 2011 by admin

President Obama’s proposed 2011 budget. Wow. There are at least ten ways one can criticize it for its irresponsibility and its calculated cynicism. Let me focus on one – which is the effort to portray Republicans as cruel and heartless … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Logic and Reason, News, Politics | Comments Off

Alas – less not more freedom for Christians in China?

Posted on February 8, 2011 by admin

One of the three goals for my journey through China back in May-June was to observe directly what is happening with the Christian church in the People’s Republic of China. I visited both registered churches and house churches. And had … Continue reading →

Posted in Christianity, Internationals, Missiology, News, Religion, Travel | 3 Comments

Harvard study confirms need for more vocational and less academic degrees

Posted on February 2, 2011 by admin

During deacon ordination service last Sunday was talking with someone who works at Louisiana State University. How are things? Grim. She then talked about how they(? who exactly?) are looking at cutting degree programs that have fewer numbers of students/graduates. … Continue reading →

Posted in Economics, Education, News | 5 Comments