Public Droption Dropped, the Blue Dog Battle, one Weiner of an Argument, Iranian Nukes, Obamanauts, Obama Goes Brazilian, the Amazing Disappearing Cargo Ship, and the Perils of Worldview

Last updated on: August 19, 2009 at 12:09 pm By Timothy Dalrymple

1. Interesting spin coming out of the White House and Congressional leadership about the deterioration of the health care reform effort. Suddenly, they announce (or see the NYTimes article here), they’re no longer going to try to include the Republican party in their solution. This is absurd, but it’s excellent rhetoric. The Dems have made no serious effort to include Republican suggestions and therefore court Republican support for their plans. There was no effort at bipartisanship, except perhaps to lure... Read more

Morning Report, August 18: Lobbyist Daschle, Sanford's Kool-Aid, Flying Amino Acids, and the Recklessness of John Edwards

Last updated on: August 18, 2009 at 1:38 pm By Timothy Dalrymple

1. I quite enjoyed this article on how “Your Baby May be Smarter Than You Think.” Those of you without babies–or with clearly stupid babies–may not enjoy it as much. 2. “Income Inequality is at an All-Time High,” reports a recent study. If you read the Morning Reports regularly, you’ll know (or at least guess) that it depends on the measure one uses. This study measures how much income, relative to total national income, is accumulated by the top .01%. ... Read more

The Holy in the Dust

Last updated on: August 17, 2009 at 4:44 pm By Timothy Dalrymple

At Patheos, see my recent article reflecting on my daughter’s birth, and share your stories about fatherhood here. Read more

On Obama the Antichrist

Last updated on: August 17, 2009 at 4:37 pm By Timothy Dalrymple

Some time ago I noted the YouTube video that proposed to argue that Jesus identified the name of the Antichrist as Baraq Ubamah. I dismissed it out of hand as ridiculous, but, if you know someone who takes this seriously, you might refer them to this nuanced take on the “evidence” at Parchment and Pen, the blog of the Credo House. Read more

Harry Potter and Jesus Christ

Last updated on: August 17, 2009 at 12:16 pm By Timothy Dalrymple

A new report today in the Boston Globe about Harry Potter and the way in which theologians and religious leaders have gradually accepted and employed the Harry Potter series as an educational tool. So the conversation about Harry Potter and Jesus Christ continues. All, to be sure, a result of my powerful account of the spiritual perils of Pottermania. Read more

Morning Report, August 17: Spiritual Snake Oil, Public Droption, Bushitler=Obamahitler, Mystery MD, Professor Summers, John Edwards' love child, and the amazing dancing Speaker of the House

Last updated on: August 17, 2009 at 11:59 am By Timothy Dalrymple

1. As mentioned in yesterday’s “Sunday Funnies,” the New York Times presented an article yesterday on “prosperity gospel” folks such as Kenneth Copeland and how they’ve continued to flourish in the midst of the recession. In my role as the manager of the Evangelical Portal for Patheos, I try not to make any group that could be called “evangelical” feel unwelcome. Yet this I cannot abide. I find such spiritual swindlery obscene. I do not doubt that many of the... Read more

Sunday Morning Funnies and Inspiration

Last updated on: August 16, 2009 at 11:40 am By Timothy Dalrymple

For today’s comedy, I thought I would share my favorite comedian, Demetri Martin. Martin won fame for his stand up comedy and, last I knew, he had a series called “Important Things” on Comedy Central. Fair warning. Demetri is not particularly foul-mouthed. He doesn’t depend on foul language or foul subjects for his laughs. His jokes, however, are not entirely without some language. As for today’s Inspiration, I came across this video this week and really enjoyed it. The glories... Read more

Morning Report, Weekend Edition, August 15

Last updated on: August 15, 2009 at 10:26 am By Timothy Dalrymple

1. Two new items worth mentioning at the Patheos Evangelical Portal: my own piece on the birth of my daughter and how it’s changed my thinking on abortion and adoption, and a piece from a good friend of mine, and one of the country’s leading Christian ethicist, in response to Sam Harris’ condemnation of Francis Collins’ selection as head of the NIH. 2. Lots of buzz over Newt Gingrich’s interview at Politico, where he suggests that Sarah Palin has a... Read more

On Fathering a Daughter – Or, Abortion, Adoption and the Limitless Majesty of God

Last updated on: August 14, 2009 at 10:36 pm By Timothy Dalrymple

Please see my new article. Quite different from the Harry Potter piece. It’s about what it has been like for me to become a father to a daughter — and still to be forced to think through the issues of abortion, adoption and the purposes of God. Read more

The Reason for the Decline of Journalism Today

Last updated on: August 14, 2009 at 2:49 pm By Timothy Dalrymple

One word: homers. Great piece from Mark Tapscott of the Washington Examiner. This is exactly what a second- (or third-) string paper like the Examiner should do: talk about the stories the legacy press aren’t talking about. Read more