I’m not at a loss for reasons to dislike 50 Shades of Grey. I’ve heard enough quotes and enough opinions of publishing professionals to regard its hackneyed writing with disdain. I’ve written previously that for Christian women it doesn’t make a heck of a lot of sense for us to tell husbands not to watch porn if we’re reading porn. And I’m definitely not a fan of the whole, “Yeah, he’s damaged, but I’ll fix him and live happily ever... Read more
Yesterday, I posted about President Obama’s remarks at the National Prayer Breakfast. I agreed with much of what he said about humility as a helpful corrective in foreign policy and war, particularly since neither America nor Christianity themselves exactly have a spotless record. Most of the rebuttals to the President’s remarks that I have heard have seemed to either spend lots of time justifying the Crusades or to object to the idea that Americans or Christians might actually have had... Read more
The latest outrage storm has hit, and it has to do with President Obama’s remarks at the National Prayer Breakfast. Before reading my thoughts on the speech, I want to encourage you to go read the President’s remarks in full. That way, even if you still disagree with the President, you will not do so merely based on a soundbite. That seems only fair, doesn’t it? Ok, are you back from reading? Here are four things I want to say... Read more
I’m guest-posting today for my dear friends over at Christ and Pop Culture. If you have never read their website and magazine, you are missing out on a treat! They specialize really good, thoughtful writing and art. I’ve gotten to know a number of the writers and editors and podcasters I can say that CAPC is an amazing community of people who value culture, attempt to be self-critical, strive for excellence, and always maintain a good sense of humor! Sure,... Read more
After six seasons, Parenthood, the NBC show loved with fervency by a core group of fans (including me) but never able to get over the hump of the TV ratings battle, is over. The show centers around three generations of the Braverman family: Zeek and Camille and their four adult children and those children’s children (in the final season, we got to experience a fourth generation Braverman as well). I almost never missed an episode, actually crying when my husband... Read more
In his new book, Aloof:Figuring Out Life with a God Who Hides (Thomas Nelson), Tony Kriz writes with vulnerable honesty about his experience of God. It is an experience marked by long dry periods, no audible voice of God, and yet some hints of the divine presence. Aloof is first and foremost narrative nonfiction, the literary spiritual memoir. Its artful tangling with the realities of the life of faith reminded me a bit of Donald Miller’s genre-changing Blue Like Jazz.... Read more
The Academy Award-nominated film Whiplash is named after a famous jazz song by Buddy Rich. The film opens by introducing us to conservatory music student Andrew Niemann (Miles Teller). Andrew is a social outsider, even within his own family. He is drawn, like Icarus, to higher glory than mere mortals. He believes he is better than other people and longs for artistic validation. He doesn’t care about the party crowd in college; he doesn’t find identity and affirmation even in his... Read more
I admit it. I get pretty jaded about politics sometimes. The talking heads. The games. The aggrandizement of one’s own political party and demonization of the other party. It’s easy to let that kind of an attitude sink in on nights like tonight. It’s easy to get frustrated and mad and irritated at whichever guys and gals seem to be most screwing things up. It’s easy to watch the State of the Union and assume it’s all posturing and politics... Read more
Note: this post was originally published on my previous blog on October 1, 2014. It seems particularly timely right now. Islamophobia is on the rise in America–and, sadly, particularly in the Christian community. It’s whispered in gossipy comments about our President (“you know, he’s a secret Muslim”). It’s present in scary-music You Tube videos that go viral as they attempt to inform us about massive Muslim population growth (some manipulation of facts included). And it was especially present in the... Read more
1. There are many movies about courageous whites who stood up for blacks during the Civil Rights Era, and rightly so, but this film has another focus: the black leaders of the movement (often under-represented in film of this era). The film’s time and energy are devoted to seeing the era through their experience, courage, and leadership. The focal point of the film Selma is the ordinary black American, tired, but drawn, from a deep sense of human dignity and... Read more
Rebecca Florence Miller
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