A PASTORAL LETTER
From Bishop Judith Hardanger-Hansen
Dearly beloved,
There has been considerable dissension in our fellowship recently, and a number of hard words have been spoken, causing much pain. I feel it my obligation to address the matter directly, exercising openmindedness and charity, both to the enlightened, Christ-like people who agree with me, and the knuckle-dragging Nazis on the other side.
From its inception, the Merry Pride movement has been like the wind of the Holy Spirit, breathing new life and new ideas into the church. Sadly, however, some people do not welcome change, and run from the challenges of a new day.
In case anyone reading this is unaware of recent history (home-schooled people, perhaps), the term “Merry” was adopted by the oppressed group formerly known as “adulterers,” employing a pun on the word “marry,” to give their lifestyle a more positive public face. They felt it intolerable to be forced to live any longer with a name that bore the weight of centuries of misunderstanding, prejudice, and oppression. Continue reading Pastoral letter from the future
Kagan Supports Book Banning
Judicial nominee Elena Kagan, presently before the Senate in confirmation hearings, apparently has no problem banning books and other media when the right people want to. You can listen to the audio on the linked post.
The opposition clarifies the issue for us. “Right-wing media are distorting comments Elena Kagan made during arguments before the Supreme Court to falsely claim she said ‘it’s fine if the law bans books.’ In fact, in the video the right is citing, Kagan never said ‘it’s fine if the law bans books’; she specifically argued that federal law had never banned books and likely could not do so.”
That’s so true. I did not hear her say, “It’s fine if the law bans books.” I heard her say that the statute has never been applied to books and no one ever wanted to apply it to books. The Supreme Court Justices make it clear that the law does apply to books, but Kagan argues no one will ever enforce that application.
In other news, Hon. Kagan claims to be an originalist in one sense.
Why Are the Big Books All on One Shelf?
Alastair Harper writes about literary novels being so difficult.
We read books that were clearly quite brilliant, if only we could understand them. They might, as we never admitted to each other, baffle us now, but hopefully we’d come out the other side stronger, better people for the experience. Maybe one day we’d even impress some girls.
He closes the article asking for recommendations and warnings on difficult book. Which ones are worthwhile; which ones are worthless?
"Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation."
All Star-Spangled Banner lyrics below the fold. Continue reading "Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation."
Relying Not on Ourselves
2 Corinthians 8-10 ESV–For we do not want you to be ignorant, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again.
I’ve been praying during the night for a few people who would identify with Paul’s suffering, but beyond that the applications are legion, aren’t they? Self-serving officials, the mess in the gulf (now being called a dead zone), crime in our cities, conflict in our families, illnesses or injustices or simple unemployment among our friends and acquaintances. No matter what the next step may be for one of these problems, it is to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. He is all-sufficient, merciful, and righteous.
You Are What You See, by Scott Nehring
Scott Nehring is a sometime film writer and current film critic, who blogs at GoodNewsFilmReviews.com. He is also a Christian, concerned about re-taking popular culture—if not necessarily for Christianity (in the sense of making every movie have a gospel message), but at least for the encouragement of positive movies that elevate people’s lives.
You Are What You See (you can order it here, in electronic or softcover form) is his manifesto. (I need to mention that I received a free review copy.)
It would be easier to praise or pan his book if it had been the sort of thing I half-expected—either a call to “come out and be separate” from popular culture, or a point-by-point, guaranteed-or-your-money-back blueprint for cultural revolution. Instead, the author leaves a lot of room for individual decisions. Because freedom is part of the deal, and every Christian has his own gifts, strengths and weaknesses.
This is good. But it means the reader has to do a fair amount of work, forever asking himself “How does this apply to me, if at all?” “Where do I fit in the scheme of things?”
That, however, is the price of honesty and biblical fidelity. Continue reading You Are What You See, by Scott Nehring
Is Some Art Too Complicated?
Complication is not the same as complexity. There are many complex works–novels, paintings, musical compositions–which are not easy to comprehend, but rich and enjoyable to work with. Like the stuff Loren Eaton writes: I mean at first you’re like Wuh?! and then you’re like Dude!! and then you’re like Whoa! That’s where it is.
Terry Teachout talks about art complicatedness in the wake of James Joyce and Bloomsday. “Are our brains simply not big enough to process the prose of Joyce or the music of Boulez?” he asks. “And if not, then why have such similarly complex artistic creations as the drip paintings of Jackson Pollock succeeded in finding an appreciative popular audience?”
Locus Awards for Sci-fi, New Pratchett Prize
The winners of the 2010 Locus Awards have been announced. Winner of best fantasy novel is this metaphysical mystery by London author China Miéville:
The best science fiction novel is this steampunk tale called, Boneshaker
Also of note: there’s a new contest for new novelists of the U.K. and Ireland. It’s The Terry Pratchett Anywhere But Here, Anywhen But Now Prize. Wild acclaim and fortune will attend the winners of this soon-to-be prestigious honor.
Interview with a Legal Ukrainian Immigrant
“It’s so hard to watch these Americans, who have so much, toss it away by voting for imbeciles. I am American now and these people have no idea how good they have it.” Kevin Jackson posts an conversation he had with a Ukrainian businesswoman who was a Republican, because she knew where liberal ideas led.
Revisiting a Classic on It's 50th Anniversary
What ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ Isn’t
Allen Barra writes, “Georgia had Flannery O’Connor and Carson McCullers; Mississippi had William Faulkner and Eudora Welty; Louisiana inspired the major works of Kate Chopin and Tennessee Williams. Alabama had. . . Well, while Zora Neale Hurston and Walker Percy were born in Alabama, those two great writers didn’t stick around my home state for long. And as for Harper Lee—Alabama born, raised and still resident—she doesn’t really measure up to the others in literary talent, but we like to pretend she does.”