In a previous post outlining the homophobic comments of Phil Robertson, prior to the controversial GQ article that got him suspended from his show on A&E, I talked about painting people with a narrow brush: “This is not a call to abandon the cause of justice. But while we may paint justice broadly, we need to have pointillist personal relations. This is the true meaning of tolerance and liberality—not that you agree with me on all parts of my agenda, but that we see our … [Read more...]

The news is splashed all over the Internet today about Duck Dynasty star Phil Robertson's homophobic and racist comments in the January 2014 issue of GQ. Huffington Post calls the comments "shockingly vile" in their headline, and for once, they don't exaggerate. The article reveals for a larger audience much of what Phil's sermon from 2009 already revealed years ago, even quoting the same Bible verses. The article supports my observation that Phil sees himself as part of an ordered universe in … [Read more...]

With work and moving taking up so much of my time these past few weeks, I've neglected my Halloween season of horror movie watching. Thankfully, a couple of shows are filling the void, FOX's Sleepy Hollow and FX's American Horror Story: Coven. I've written about the former here. After last week's episode of American Horror Story, I felt compelled to say a few words about why I like this season and why it could be the series' best. … [Read more...]

Editor's Note: Rev. Philip Tanner is a committed 'Gleek,' and was, like all the fans and admirers of the show, devastated by the death of Cory Monteith, who played Finn Hudson, the quarterback-turned-glee club singer at the center of the show. Finn Hudson's death was written into the show, and "The Quarterback," which aired on Thursday, October 10, was a tribute both to Monteith and the character he created.       Review of "The Quarterback," By Rev. Philip Tanner “The … [Read more...]

Of all the new series premiering over the next several weeks, this nerd's excited about two, one of which is Fox's Sleepy Hollow (the other's that little Marvel series you might have heard about). Last week's Sleepy Hollow pilot exceeded my expectations with an intriguing narrative that draws heavily from Biblical imagery. … [Read more...]

    Welcome to the first entry in a regular blog on the A&E series Duck Dynasty. This show about a bearded redneck family and their multi-million dollar duck call business has become the unlikely king of cable ratings and has even beat broadcast giants like American Idol. The show is filmed in West Monroe, Louisiana, and its combination of backwoods humor and sprinklings of Christian family values have made it must-see TV in the Red States. I walked into my local … [Read more...]