Religion

Is Mormonism Christian?

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From the current First Things:

Mormon beliefs diverge widely from historic Christian orthodoxy. The Book of Mormon, which is Mormonism’s principal source for its claim to new revelation and a new prophet, lacks credibility. And the Jesus proclaimed by Joseph Smith and his followers is different in significant ways from the Jesus of the New Testament: Smith’s Jesus is a God distinct from God the Father; he was once merely a man and not God; he is of the same species as human beings; and his being and acts are limited by coeternal matter and laws.

The intent of this essay is not to say that individual Mormons will be barred from sitting with Abraham and the saints at the marriage supper of the Lamb. We are saved by a merciful Trinity, not by our theology. But the distinguished scholar of Mormonism Jan Shipps was only partly right when she wrote that Mormonism is a departure from the existing Christian tradition as much as early Christianity was a departure from Judaism. For if Christianity is a shoot grafted onto the olive tree of Judaism, Mormonism as it stands cannot be successfully grafted onto either.

Uncategorized

Panic now! Or wait two months, then panic!

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According to this highly questionable report, the Large Hadron Collider has been shut down due to damage and will be out of order for two months.

What really happened, I think we all understand, is that a black hole immediately formed in the core of the thing, and that Switzerland is already being sucked into the vortex (Think about it. When was the last time you had a phone call from anybody in Switzerland?).

They just don’t want us to panic. Because if we’re all going to die a horrible death anyway, it’s important we do so in a calm state of mind.

I had dinner last night with a group of fantasy writers from the American Christian Fiction Writers convention, being held in our fair metropolis. I managed to get out of my shell after the always-difficult initial “meeting people” stage, and by the end of the night they were all bored sick with me.

Thanks to all of you (you know who you are) for your patience.

Authors

Ireland’s Eoin Colfer to Continue the Hitchhiker’s Guide

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The publisher approached Eoin Colfer with the idea of carrying on with Douglas Adams’ series in a new book to be called, And Another Thing. To his credit, Colfer was initially shocked at the invitation.

Coffee, Tea, Drinks

How’d Ye Fare, Lubber?

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Ahoy! Did ye’av a bonnie day of it today, young reader? Mayhap, ye’d like to cap it off with a mug o’ rum, or grog if the barkeep has nothing better? As ye may know, rum comes from Caribbean sugar cane. Me matie Scurvy Carl says,

Converting cane into sugar is an industrial process that produces byproducts: cane juice and molasses. Caribbean islanders soon began converting these byproducts into cheap liquor, known first as Kill-Devil, then later as Rumbullion, and then simply as rum. This was powerful stuff. An early critic referred to it as “hot, hellish, and terrible.”

And right he is too. Let’s see if we can’t call for something out of the bung hole, eh. Aye.

Fiction

Meeting Long John

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From chapter 8 of Treasure Island:

When I had done breakfasting the squire gave me a note addressed to John Silver, at the sign of the Spy-glass, and told me I should easily find the place by following the line of the docks and keeping a bright lookout for a little tavern with a large brass telescope for sign. I set off, overjoyed at this opportunity to see some more of the ships and seamen, and picked my way among a great crowd of people and carts and bales, for the dock was now at its busiest, until I found the tavern in question.

It was a bright enough little place of entertainment. The sign was newly painted; the windows had neat red curtains; the floor was cleanly sanded. There was a street on each side and an open door on both, which made the large, low room pretty clear to see in, in spite of clouds of tobacco smoke.

The customers were mostly seafaring men, and they talked so loudly that I hung at the door, almost afraid to enter.

As I was waiting, a man came out of a side room, and at a glance I was sure he must be Long John. His left leg was cut off close by the hip, and under the left shoulder he carried a crutch, which he managed with wonderful dexterity, hopping about upon it like a bird. He was very tall and strong, with a face as big as a ham–plain and pale, but intelligent and smiling. Indeed, he seemed in the most cheerful spirits, whistling as he moved about among the tables, with a merry word or a slap on the shoulder for the more favoured of his guests.

Now, to tell you the truth, from the very first mention of Long John in Squire Trelawney’s letter I had taken a fear in my mind that he might prove to be the very one-legged sailor whom I had watched for so long at the old Benbow. Continue reading Meeting Long John →

Uncategorized

A post with no discernible theme

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I suppose I’m being narrowminded here, missing the nuances of the situation. But it seems to me that if some Republican had hacked into Joe Biden’s e-mail account we’d have all the news media calling for a federal investigation and a special prosecutor.



By way of Conservative Grapevine, here’s a Popular Mechanics piece on 10 Kitchen Gadgets You’ll Use Only Once. Some of that stuff looks pretty neat. The only thing that keeps me from filling my house with impedimenta like that is poverty. Thank God for poverty, I say.

It’s bill-paying night for me, so that’s a good thought to keep in mind.

I note that the editors weren’t much impressed by a device that cooks chicken that isn’t messy. That idea appealed to me immediately.

I do not like messy food. That’s one of my major objections to barbecued ribs (barbecued anything, actually), pork (like the taste, hate the grease), big hamburgers with salads piled on top of them, and oranges (which I love, except for the dissection).

I guess that’s another sign that I’m not a Real Guy.

Now, bills.

Religion

Hindus Are Raging Against Christians

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Voice of the Marytrs reports:

On August 23, widespread violence erupted against Christians following the assassination of World Hindu Council leader Swami Lakshmananda Saraswati, the alleged mastermind behind the December 2007 attacks on believers in Kandhamal, Orissa State. Saraswati was killed with four of his followers. 30 men believed to be Maoist extremists, stormed a religious center in Kandhamal and opened fire.

Despite the evidence that Maoists killed the leader, Hindu are taking their revenge on Christians. Several people have been killed, including at least one Hindu woman suspected of being a Christian. Churches have been torched or vandalized. Police have been sent unarmed to watch the rioting as if ready to intervene, and government officials, I believe, have spoken against the rioting, but done nothing to stop it. The violence has spread to other Indian states. I am told many Christians are hiding in the jungle to avoid the militant Hindus.

Rescue us, Lord. Put our enemies to shame. Deliver us like you have many times in the past. (Psalm 71)

Religion

My favorite Jesus

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Phil’s question about your favorite film Jesus got me thinking about the guy we both favor, Bruce Marchiano, who played Him in both The Visual Bible: Matthew and The Visual Bible: Acts.

My first reaction when I saw Machiano in the role was, “Wow! Finally a Jesus who looks like He could possibly be a Middle Eastern Jew!” In spite of the fact that I’m a Republican (and so obviously a racist and anti-Semite), I’ve always been irritated by blonde, blue-eyed Jesuses.* Even when Hollywood set out to produce a biting, “realistic,” debunking portrayal in The Last Temptation of Christ, they cast blonde, blue-eyed Willem Dafoe.

I suppose there’s no point throwing mud at an icon unless it’s iconographic-looking.

Anyway, I liked that about Marchiano. But even better was his ground-breaking portrayal. His Jesus is full of life–an open-hearted, easy-laughing man who clearly lives each moment to its full potential and views everyone He meets as a gift from God. His suffering in His Passion is all the more wrenching for the contrast.

This, in my view, is precisely what Jesus must have been like. That’s why people were impelled to follow Him–“In Him was life, and that life was the light of men.” (John 1:4)

*Yeah, yeah. I know Marchiano’s got blue eyes. You can’t have everything. Especially when you’re looking for a man to play God.