Somehow, I think this is funny.

American writer Tobias Wolff considers conservatives (i.e., people not on his side) to be the rudest of Americans. He write, “When I see someone being rude to a waiter, or blocking the road in a Ford Expedition, or yakking loudly on a cell phone in a crowded elevator, I naturally assume they voted for George W. Bush.”

Give it up.

Tonight, another bleak and self-absorbed post about my unhappy childhood. I’ll hide the body of it behind the fold, so as not to bum you out too much if you’re not interested in going on.

But I should mention that this won’t be a war story. I’m talking statistics and news reporting tonight. Continue reading Suppressed →

Augsburg College, in Minneapolis, is my alma mater.

Founded in the 1870s, Augsburg was for most of its early history the center of Free Lutheranism, an effort to build a pietist Lutheran church movement exercising a congregational form of church government. These principles were abandoned entirely when the Lutheran Free Church entered a merger with other Lutheran bodies in 1962. The small rabble of churches who refused to go along with the merger began the Association of Free Lutheran Congregations, for which I work.

The point of all this is that, in spite of its historical heritage, Augsburg today is just another mainline Lutheran school, indistinguishable, except by geography, from all the other mainline Lutheran schools.

Which explains this story, in which we see contemporary academic standards of tolerance and the free exercise of thought demonstrated for all.

Tip: Power Line.

The vast editorial staff at Brandywine Books noticed the Christmas holidays coming up (Yes, we all noticed at the same time. We are of one mind. Yes, we do usually dress as sheep for Halloween, thank you for asking) and thought to remind our affluent readership (the best-looking readership in the entire blogosphere we are convinced) of the gift you may be seeking for that special, irritating, but loved someone who already has everything he needs (clean underwear).

The only thing to get this person is this knife, a penknife to be precise.



That’s 85 tools in one knife, which means when he’s in the thick of a job, he’ll have every tool he could want–except the one he needs.

“What should conservative Christians focus on politically over the next four years?” Several leaders give their answers.

I’ll say simply that we should pray in earnest about politicians, neighbors, and bringing God glory in every area of life. We can also speak the truth politely and thoughtfully. Don’t get mad anymore. Get passionate.

This makes me furious.

This is ghastly. If you are a parent with elementary schoolchildren, you will hit the roof. A teacher in Cumberland County, N.C. near Fort Bragg (NOTE: she is no longer in Asheville) was caught on tape by Finnish documentarians making a film about Barack Obama’s supporters. The teacher, Diantha Harris, uses the classroom as a propaganda vehicle to shove her politics down the children’s throats.

I haven’t watched the video. I can’t. It would raise feelings in me that I’m not prepared to deal with.

This is what can happen when you’re absolutely convinced that you’re morally right, and that your opponents are contemptible. Treating them (or their children) in vile ways not only becomes permissible, but becomes a positive moral good. Because you’re saving them from themselves, you see?

And yes, Christians do this too, all the time. (This teacher is probably a Christian, if it comes to that.)

That’s why Jesus spent so much time trying to drill into our heads how we ought to treat our enemies.

Tip: Michelle Malkin

And that’s the end of that.

No, I don’t mean the election season (though good riddance), but the fall leaf season.

Up till now it’s been unseasonably mild, and most of the leaves still clung to the trees.

Today, after a warm dawn, the barometer dropped like a bowling ball, and rains and clouds rolled in on Harleys. At the center of the front was a nasty wind that lasted only long enough to strip the trees clean.

This weekend, raking. Except that it might rain again.

Since I did such a crackerjack job predicting the election, I’ll go right ahead and tell you what I think the Obama presidency will be like.

Franklin D. Roosevelt II. Continue reading History in advance →

At the end of my work day, I frequently talk to a lady who is starting her’s. She cleans part of the office building where I work. She’s a nice grandma, who has some leg and joint pains which I pray for when I remember. We’ve talked mostly about the weather. I wish I could say we praise the Lord together, but we’ve done that only three or four times so far. Mostly we chat about little things.

I haven’t asked her about political issues or pushed any serious theology into my statements. I did ask her if she would watch the presidential debates and when she would vote. She caught a bit of the debates, I think. They don’t say important stuff in those things, you know. She voted yesterday.

I don’t think I told her last week about the multi-congregation service I attended the last October Sunday. I sang in the choir, barely using the music because the notes to sing weren’t all printed. We had to pick it up by ear. The pastor, who teaches at the church from which most of the choir came, said he felt he had left Obama territory for McCain territory, judging by the bumper stickers in the parking lot. Some choir members who were over my shoulder murmured a bit of affirmation to the soon-to-be president elect.

I laughed a bit. It didn’t bother me to disagree indirectly with them.

I don’t know that I heard anything from Obama on the campaign trail that I agreed with. I don’t think I have hoped for a moment that he would keep his word on a certain campaign pledge. I’ve even accused him of lying to us, like Bill Clinton did in his campaign and in office. Obama seems like a nice professional, but I really don’t know him. I don’t know if his cool exterior hides a wicked heart, and I shouldn’t assume it does–beyond theological terms.

But today, I talked to a woman who thanked the Lord when she heard Obama would be our next president. She almost cried too.

That softens the political edges for me. I don’t know how many, if any, of his stated policies she approves. She may not have thought through the issues. But a black man will serve (Deo Volente) as the 44th President of the United States. And she’s a black woman.

That isn’t colorblind, and it isn’t a good reason to vote for anyone. But it is a good reason to give respect to whom respect is due and honor to whom honor is due. I can’t demonize someone I respect.