I intended to write about something else today, but there were a couple of good points raised in the comments section of my original post on the Fermi Paradox that I think deserve a response here rather than there. Before I start let me say I have a high regard for argument. If it is engaged in with a generous spirit it can benefit the interlocutors. For it to work as it should, arguments must be conducted in a spirit... Read more
When I was a kid I figured we’d be a star-faring civilization by now. Things seemed to be trending in the right direction. At least we should be driving levitating cars. The future has been something of a let down. Also, I liked anything to do with UFOs, especially stuff like, Chariots of the Gods. (If you’re as old as I, you may recall the book.) Here’s how it goes: ancient civilizations were enriched by visits from above. What our... Read more
Most people know that Grimm’s Fairy Tales are not the watered-down stuff Walt Disney gave us. They’re much darker, far grimmer. Two questions arise in my mind at the thought: first, what purpose did the real stories serve? (they were passed down for generations, and I’ve heard tell their roots go down so deep they’re positively prehistoric), and second, why were they bowdlerized? We can’t blame it all on poor Walt. The Bowdlerizing Impulse of the 19th Century The reformist impulse... Read more
I enjoyed a conversation with a retired minister in my church yesterday. During our time together he confided that he was supplementing his income with a little used-book business he has online. He planted a church in western Massachusetts and served that church faithfully for nearly 40 years. It is a thriving church by New England standards, but it never had much money. He excelled in evangelism, and meeting people, and being a help to folk. But funds were always... Read more
Some people think of Romans 13:1-7 as a summary of everything the Bible has to say on the subject of government. And this is one reason those with a more libertarian cast of mind tend to be wary of the Good Book. So, it may come as something of a surprise to learn that there’s a case to be made for a Libertarian Study Bible–maybe even an Anarchist Study Bible. I first came across the case for a libertarian subtext... Read more
In my ideal America, the Presidential election would hold as much interest for people as the election of the Secretary-General of the United Nations. Don’t know who that is? That’s my point. He’s largely irrelevant in the course of your daily affairs. (It’s Ban Ki-moon of South Korea, in case you have to know.) Things being what they are, I suspect local politics seem as distant to you as are the workings of the United Nations. If you can name... Read more
Have you ever found yourself enjoying a book and then stumbled over something so spectacularly wrong that you can’t help but wonder if you’ve been snookered all along? It’s happened to me a few times. An author goes on about things I know nothing about, and I feel the pleasure that comes with learning. Then he gets into something I happen to know something about and there is this enormous gaffe. Perhaps it is an over-reaction, but I feel betrayed.... Read more
I had the pleasure of screening, Eddie the Eagle for Patheos last Wednesday. It is a charming film and a heart-warming one. And it is based on real events. (You can read about the real Eddie Edwards here.) I enjoyed it, and anyone who shares my pleasure in over-achieving underdog sports films will like it too. If not for one scene, I would say it is a film the entire family can enjoy. Because of that one scene, you might... Read more
I’ve owned three houses. Besides those I’ve owned 6 apartment buildings with a total of 24 rental units. I think I’ve had roughly 60 or so tenants over the years. Add to that all the real estate I helped people buy and sell as an agent (probably 80 or so) and the fact that I was a building contractor for a time, I think I know a little bit about houses. In spite of these things, when it comes to... Read more
I think the biggest benefit of gardening is it grounds you. I really mean that. We are the soil, you know. Not entirely, but it is a big part of who we are. Adam means “soil”–he was the first, “earth-man”. Humus, where we get the word, “human” means soil too. Our bodies are formed from the soil and upon death, our bodies will return to it. In the meantime our bodies clothe our spirits. (Which reminds me, once I asked... Read more
PaterFamilias Today
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In