It’s always good when an argument is brewing and the boiler plate rhetoric gets old as it takes us nowhere, to look at a few numbers. Nate Silver has a couple of good posts: One article looking at gun control and how it is related to party identity. Another article looking at the rhetoric associated with the issue is up as well. They are both good reads. A couple of things I’ve learned. When you look at Silver’s graph “mentions... Read more
Scot McKnight has an interesting blog post up at Jesus Creed talking about gun violence. In it McKnight reminded me that an important aspect of the argument about gun control, especially in light of the recent shootings, is the age old struggle between two competing yet essential ideals: freedom and the common good. Freedom is a good thing. Liberty is a virtue and in the right context it is in harmony with the scriptures and the logic or narrative of... Read more
I’ve made a couple of new friends, Joshua & Tiffany Svorinic, through my church. Josh is in the band Cloverton & they’ve put together a little video Christmas present for their fans. It’s an adaptation of the great Leonard Cohen tune “Hallelujah,” and it’s absolutely beautiful. As I attempt to ratchet down my pace of life from now until Christmas, I’m finding this song helpful. Well done Cloverton – you’ve got some serious game. This is one of the more... Read more
I confess that I am weary from grief and worry. I confess that last week was rough. Monday, a suicide attempt by a dear soul who was living with us at the time. Wednesday, my best friend’s nephew died inexplicably. He was just shy of two years old. Friday… you know about Friday. I confess that everything I’ve read in defense of gun rights in the past few days has seemed very weak and futile. I confess that I do... Read more
Saturday Night Live’s signature opening is always cold. No theme music, no credits, just a live shot of sketch comedy. With viewers no doubt still mourning the Connecticut school shooting one day earlier – they scrubbed the first sketch and played this instead. It’s absolutely beautiful. Well done SNL. Read more
It’s been a hell of a week… Then around noon today I clicked on my news feed and the week got worse. Early reports are saying 18 children are dead after a madman opened fire in an elementary school in Connecticut – at least 8 adults killed as well. It was an act of madness. There is no way to make sense of this, don’t even try. You cannot reason with a madman. You cannot swallow the darkness. How long... Read more
This has been a hellish week for a lot of friends and family. If you are wondering what to do with your own pain, read here. If you are looking for a little escapist humor, maybe this will help you have a good laugh. Read more
When I hear Wendell Berry speak I can’t help thinking that I’m watching a living example of what the Bible calls wisdom. I’m not going to comment here, I’m just going to listen. “What I am waiting for is for somebody to come along and say, ‘Look, we’ve got to use less.’ This thing that we’re calling our standard of living can’t be maintained, and so this means that we’ve all got to make a criticism of our lives and... Read more
Do you find yourself feeling offended often? I encounter this reality every single day. Many people are so easily offended by me, by others (people, places, things, ideas). Lately I’ve been listening to some lectures by Richard Rohr, who consistently points out the ego, or what he calls the “small self” is always easily offended. Another way to say it is that the part of you that is easily offended is not the true you, it is your ego. I’ve... Read more
An interesting interview took place between Stephen Colbert (interviewer), and John Stewart (interviewee), last Friday night at a fundraiser for the Montclair Film Festival. I think Colbert does these interviews in Montclair fairly regularly, but this was the first time he worked with Stewart on the project. The two basically sat telling stories about their work together over the past decade. This article gives the highlights of the interview, it’s worth a read if you are a fan. I had... Read more
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